Cabinet clears import of 3 LNG cargoes

The Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase yesterday approved the procurement of three LNG cargoes from the spot market, two proposals to purchase electricity from power plants, and a proposal to procure 163 vehicles.

The meeting, chaired by Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, cleared the proposal to procure LNG, submitted by the Energy and Mineral Resources Division.

The 20th cargo for June 8-9, the 21st cargo for June 9-10, and the 22nd cargo for June 14-15 will be purchased at a combined cost of Tk 2,186.35 crore.

According to sources, the LNG will cost $18 per MMBtu. The procurement will be carried out through the international quotation collection process under Rule 105(3)(a) of the Public Procurement Rules 2025.

The approved suppliers are Vitol Asia Pte Ltd, Singapore, BP Singapore Pte Ltd, and Gunvor Singapore Pte Ltd.

The committee also cleared two separate proposals to purchase electricity from power plants operated by North West Power Generation Company Limited (NWPGCL) under re-determined levelised tariffs.

One of the proposals involves purchasing electricity from the Sirajganj 225 MW Combined Cycle Power Plant (Unit-2) established by NWPGCL.

Under the proposal submitted by the Power Division, the levelised tariff for gas-based power has been fixed at US cents 4.513 per kilowatt-hour, equivalent to Tk 5.541 per unit, based on current market prices.

For HSD-based generation, the tariff was set at US cents 19.298 per kilowatt-hour, equivalent to Tk 23.698 per unit.

The committee also approved electricity purchase from the 410 MW Bheramara Combined Cycle Power Plant, established by NWPGCL, under a re-determined levelised tariff structure.

A proposal to purchase 163 vehicles for the Rapid Action Battalion at an estimated cost of Tk 122.27 crore was also cleared by the committee.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs also approved power import subsidies at its 13th meeting yesterday.

The committee gave in-principle approval to the draft Bangladesh Offshore Model Production Sharing Contract (PSC) 2026, proposed by the Energy and Mineral Resources Division.

“It also granted partial in-principle approval to a proposal from the Power Division to include electricity imports -- from joint ventures, the Adani Power Jharkhand project, and other sources in India and Nepal -- in the government’s subsidy list, with the aim of ensuring uninterrupted power supply.