B Mirror Report: Bangladesh has issued tenders to procure three additional liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes from the spot market for delivery by mid-April as rising tensions in the Middle East and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz create uncertainty in global energy supplies.

State-owned Rupantarita Prakritik Gas Company Ltd (RPGCL) has sought bids for LNG shipments scheduled for the April 5–6, April 9–10 and April 12–13 delivery windows.

Each spot cargo will contain about 3.36 million MMBtu, according to an official involved in the process. The deadline for submitting bids is March 10, said a senior official of Petrobangla.

The LNG cargoes will be delivered to Moheshkhali Island, where they can be discharged at either of the country’s two floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs) located there.

RPGCL, a subsidiary of Petrobangla, manages the country’s LNG trading and procurement operations.

An RPGCL official said the latest move marks the second tender floated during the ongoing global energy market uncertainty triggered by the Middle East conflict.

Earlier last week, Bangladesh invited tenders to purchase two LNG cargoes from the spot market, which were later awarded to Gunvor Singapore Pte Ltd and Vitol Asia Pte Ltd for the March 15–16 and March 18–19 delivery windows. The cargoes were purchased at $28.28 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) and $23.08 per MMBtu, respectively.

If the current tender process is successful, Bangladesh’s total spot LNG procurement this year will rise to seven cargoes, the official added.

According to RPGCL data, the country had imported only two spot LNG shipments in 2026 until March 1.

In 2025, Bangladesh purchased 49 LNG cargoes from the spot market, reflecting its growing reliance on imported gas.

Apart from spot purchases, Bangladesh also imports LNG under long-term sales and purchase agreements (SPAs) with QatarEnergy, Oman and the United States, along with short-term agreements with Saudi Arabia and Oman.

However, global LNG supply has recently faced disruptions after QatarEnergy declared force majeure on March 4 following a halt in production on March 2, affecting deliveries to some buyers.

The Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical shipping routes for energy supplies, has also come under pressure due to escalating geopolitical tensions.

Since launching LNG imports in 2018, Bangladesh has received around 35.39 million tonnes of LNG through 571 cargoes as of January 2026, according to RPGCL statistics.

At present, the country’s total natural gas supply stands at around 2,550 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd), including approximately 842 mmcfd of regasified LNG, while demand exceeds 4,000 mmcfd, according to Petrobangla data as of March 8, 2026.