Bangladesh Seeks US Waiver To Buy Russian Oil Amid West Asia Crisis

DHAKA, March 12 (Bernama-dpa) -- Bangladesh has requested permission from the United States to purchase oil from Russia in an attempt to address an energy supply crunch triggered by the West Asia crisis, a senior minister said on Wednesday, reported German news agency dpa.

"The US has already given a temporary waiver to India, allowing it to buy Russian oil. Why not Bangladesh? We want this as well," Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury told reporters after a meeting with the US ambassador to Bangladesh, Brent T Christensen, in Dhaka.

The minister said that granting such a waiver would provide significant support for Bangladesh’s economy.

"They [the US side] said they would send the matter to Washington. Let’s see what happens," Chowdhury said, noting that his discussions with the ambassador focused primarily on energy cooperation, including the possibility of long-term imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States.

In a post on X, however, Ambassador Christensen, did not mention the request for a US waiver on Russian oil.

"My old friend Finance Minister Khasru and I explored opportunities for increased collaboration on shared economic priorities," the US envoy wrote.

He added that the US Treasury Office of Technical Assistance has been working with the Ministry of Finance to help advance goals for “our mutual prosperity.”

On March 5, the Trump administration eased sanctions on Russian oil sales in response to surging energy prices and production disruptions in West Asia.

These disruptions followed US and Israeli attacks on Iran, which have affected supplies passing through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.

Under the 30-day waiver announced by the US Treasury Department, India is permitted to purchase Russian oil that was stranded at sea from March 5 to April 4.

Official data shows that Bangladesh imports energy products — including LNG, petroleum products, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and coal — worth more than US$12 billion annually, with most supplies sourced from West Asian markets.

Uncertainty now surrounds scheduled deliveries due to the near total suspension of vessel movements through Hormuz.

--BERNAMA-dpa