Bangladesh Looks to Deepen Energy Cooperation with Saudi Arabia and Qatar

Bangladesh is seeking to strengthen energy cooperation with Saudi Arabia and Qatar while attracting foreign investment into its renewable energy sector, following a series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the 17th International Energy Forum in Riyadh.

State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Aninda Islam Amit held separate meetings with Saudi Assistant Minister of Energy for Electricity Nasser bin Hadi Al-Qahtani, Qatar's Minister of State for Energy Affairs and QatarEnergy President and CEO Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, and ACWA Power CEO Dr Samir J Serhan, according to a message received here today.

The discussions centred on enhancing Bangladesh's energy security, ensuring long-term liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies, expanding bilateral cooperation and attracting international investment in renewable energy projects.

During his meeting with Saudi Assistant Minister Nasser Al-Qahtani, Amit expressed condolences over the deaths caused by a Houthi rebel attack on Riyadh International Airport and strongly condemned the incident.

He conveyed the solidarity of the government and people of Bangladesh with Saudi Arabia and briefed the Saudi official on Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's condolence message to the Saudi crown prince and prime minister.

Amit also requested Saudi Arabia's assistance in repatriating the bodies of two Bangladeshi nationals killed in the attack and facilitating medical treatment for those injured.

Turning to energy cooperation, the state minister sought Riyadh's support in strengthening Bangladesh's energy security. Al-Qahtani described Bangladesh as a brotherly nation of special importance to the Saudi government and expressed optimism about expanding existing cooperation in energy security and other development initiatives.

Both sides emphasised the importance of exchanging official delegations and establishing a framework for understanding to identify areas where Saudi Arabia could support Bangladesh in achieving its energy targets by 2030.

The discussions also covered long-term energy partnerships, the development of floating LNG terminals, and offshore and onshore gas exploration.

In his meeting with Qatar's Minister of State for Energy Affairs Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, Amit discussed Bangladesh's rising natural gas demand, existing LNG import arrangements and the potential for new long-term supply agreements.

The two sides also explored opportunities to source LNG from QatarEnergy's international portfolio and diversify supply sources and routes to bolster Bangladesh's energy security. Both sides underscored the importance of continued commercial and technical discussions between the relevant organisations.

Separately, Amit met ACWA Power CEO Dr Samir J Serhan to discuss investment opportunities in Bangladesh's renewable energy sector. During the meeting, ACWA Power expressed interest in investing in the country's clean energy industry.

Officials from the Bangladesh delegation and the Bangladesh Embassy in Riyadh attended the meetings.