LONDON, March 31. /TASS/. Bangladeshi authorities have approached the US seeking a sanctions waiver to allow import of 600,000 tons of Russian diesel as the energy crisis in the South Asian country, Reuters reported.
Earlier Russian Ambassador to Bangladesh Alexander Khozin discussed the organization of fuel supplies to the country with the country's Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku.
Bangladesh Ambassador to Russia Kamrul Ahsan stated that the country is seeking to overcome Western sanctions to purchase Russian oil. According to him, Dhaka is open to negotiations with Russia.
About 95% of Bangladesh's fuel needs are met through imports. The conflict between Iran, Israel, and the United States has disrupted the supply chain and caused an energy crisis in the South Asian country. Bangladesh has imposed fuel rationing for vehicles, closed fertilizer factories, and suspended in-person school operations to reduce electricity consumption.
The Bangladesh government has assured that measures have already been taken to maintain a normal fuel supply. Imports are continuing as scheduled, and fuel is regularly distributed from major filling stations to depots across the country. In March, Dhaka asked New Delhi to increase fuel supplies to meet growing demand. India supplied Bangladesh with 5,000 tons of diesel fuel via a cross-border pipeline and expressed its willingness to increase supplies in the near future.