Bangladesh has requested a special waiver from the United States to allow it to purchase oil from Russia, similar to the temporary exemption granted to India, Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said on Wednesday.
The minister disclosed the information to reporters after a meeting with US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T. Christensen at the Planning Ministry office in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the capital.
He said the United States had already granted India a temporary waiver to buy Russian oil, and Bangladesh has sought a similar opportunity.
“We told them that if Bangladesh is given such a facility, it would be a major support for our economy,” he said, adding that the US side would convey the matter to Washington for consideration.
The meeting also discussed the current situation in the international energy market. The minister said uncertainty over global oil and gas supply has increased, making energy security a key priority for Bangladesh.
He added that the talks also focused on expanding investment, trade and economic cooperation between Bangladesh and the United States. Issues related to capacity building of various government institutions were also discussed.
Responding to a question from journalists, the minister said no specific decision was made regarding any possible trade agreement with the United States during the meeting.
“A trade agreement is a matter between two countries. It is not possible for us to say anything specific at this stage,” he said, adding that Bangladesh is considering how to best utilise such opportunities in its national interest.
On the government’s preparedness in case ongoing international conflicts persist, the minister said the authorities are preparing for all possible scenarios.
“We are planning with short-, medium- and long-term situations in mind if the conflict continues. These issues were also discussed in detail in today’s meeting,” he added