This information was disclosed during a press briefing following a committee meeting on Wednesday. A total of seven procurement proposals were tabled at the meeting.

Among them, according to a proposal placed by the Energy and Mineral Resources Division, a recommendation has been made to purchase two LNG cargoes from the Switzerland-based firm ‘SOCAR Trading SA’ through the direct procurement method.

Additionally, a proposal to import three more LNG cargoes under the RFQ (Request for Quotation) method, in accordance with the Public Procurement Rules (PPR), has also been recommended for approval.

Of these three cargoes, one will be supplied by Singapore’s ‘BP Singapore Pte. Ltd.’ and the remaining two will be provided by the UK-based ‘TotalEnergies Gas & Power Ltd.’

Official sources indicated that these LNG cargoes are scheduled to arrive in the country between June 26-27, June 30-July 1, and July 6-7.

The import of just these three LNG cargoes will cost the government over Tk 2,372 crore.

Energy sector stakeholders noted that Qatar is Bangladesh’s long-term LNG supplier. However, ongoing tensions in the Middle East and disrupted shipping in the Strait of Hormuz have created uncertainty regarding gas imports. Given this situation, initiatives are being taken to procure LNG from alternative sources.

According to data from the Ministry of Energy, imported LNG currently meets approximately 30 percent of the country’s total gas demand.