Bangladesh Seeks Malaysia's Support to Address Ongoing Gas Crisis

Bangladesh has sought Malaysia's assistance in tackling the country's ongoing natural gas crisis by sending a letter to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Bangladesh's Prime Minister Tarique Rahman also spoke with his Malaysian counterpart over the phone to discuss the issue.

The information was disclosed on Tuesday by State Minister for Energy Anindya Islam Amit while speaking to reporters at his office at the Secretariat.

The state minister said the country has been facing a severe gas shortage over the past week after a Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) became inoperable. The disruption has affected industrial, commercial, and residential consumers.

According to the minister, Bangladesh's daily gas demand stands at approximately 3,800 million cubic feet, while current supply has fallen to around 2,100 million cubic feet, creating a significant supply gap.

Amit said that, recognizing the seriousness of the situation, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman sent a letter to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim through his adviser, Mahdi Amin. At around 2:00 p.m. Bangladesh time, the two leaders also held a telephone conversation during which Prime Minister Rahman requested Malaysia's support in helping Bangladesh overcome the energy crisis.

The state minister added that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim assured his Bangladeshi counterpart of Malaysia's cooperation in addressing the crisis, although no further details of the proposed assistance were immediately disclosed.