Bangladesh seeks US waiver to import Russian Fuel

Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman has formally requested the United States (US) to grant Bangladesh a special waiver to import refined diesel and other petroleum products from Russian sources, aiming to alleviate the country's mounting energy pressures.

The appeal was made during a meeting with US Energy Secretary Chris Wright at the Department of Energy in Washington D.C. on Tuesday, according to an official message received in Dhaka.

During the discussions, Dr. Khalilur outlined Bangladesh's acute energy challenges, exacerbated by global supply chain disruptions. He emphasized the critical timing ahead of the upcoming planting season, stressing the necessity of an uninterrupted fuel supply for farmers to safeguard national food security.

The Foreign Minister noted that Bangladesh had been unable to benefit from an earlier limited US waiver on Russian oil shipments at sea, as none of the tankers at the time were destined for Bangladeshi ports.

Both sides also explored options for Bangladesh to procure refined petroleum products derived from Russian crude via third countries to address immediate needs.

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright acknowledged the energy difficulties faced by Bangladesh and affirmed the United States' commitment to supporting the country during this challenging period to help ensure its energy security.

He assured that the US would positively consider Bangladesh's requests and pledged that his team would work closely with relevant US government departments to facilitate the process.

The meeting also covered longer-term cooperation on sustainable energy solutions for Bangladesh and the potential for increasing procurement of US energy products.

Secretary Wright was accompanied by senior officials including Chief of Staff Carl Cole and advisors from the Office of Asian Affairs. The Bangladesh delegation included Ambassador to the USA Tareq Md Ariful Islam, Deputy Chief of Mission DM Salahuddin Mahmud, and Economic Minister Dr. Md. Fazle Rabbi.