Bangladesh
Oil Import US won't object if Bangladesh imports oil from Russia: Energy Advisor
Own Correspondent, Dhaka, Sept 1: Advisor to the Prime Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Dr. Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury (Bir Bikram) thinks that the United States will not object if Bangladesh wants to import fuel from Russia to meet the crisis.
He said this at a press conference held at the Prime Minister's Office on Wednesday (August 31).
Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury said, "The Under Secretary of the United States has said that the United States has no restrictions on food, fertilizers, and fuel. Therefore, Washington should not have any objection if importing oil from Russia. Therefore, I am taking his word, there will be no objection to the import of Bangladesh."
He said, "There are some diplomatic norms in this case. But simply as I understand it, when it is said at the level of a minister, it has importance."
Earlier last week, a high-level meeting of the government said that it is not possible to import oil from Russia. At that time, Prime Minister's advisor on private industry and investment Salman F. Rahman told reporters that oil import from Russia is not possible due to the US sanctions.
But the energy advisor said, "The oil market around the world is so unstable that no one but Allah can tell when the price will decrease in the country in the future."
He does not think that oil from Russia will solve all problems overnight.
In the press conference, he said, 34 wells have been dug in the last five years to increase the production of domestic fuel to solve the energy crisis. "Last year alone we drilled four wells. It is not true that there is no search in Bangladesh."
He said, "We are not allowing anyone except BAPEX to do search work on the land of the country. However, Gazprom has been given work within these restrictions in Bhola."
The energy advisor expressed hope that the electricity crisis will end by September-October.
