Diesel launch: Russia and Bangladesh discuss first supplies of petroleum products

The crisis with oil and gas supplies from the Persian Gulf is forcing Asian countries to seek help from Russia. Following Pakistan and Sri Lanka, Bangladesh began negotiations with Russia. The relevant companies are currently coordinating the first deliveries of petroleum products, the Russian Embassy in the republic told Izvestia. This will allow our country not only to increase revenues from oil exports, but also to deepen cooperation in related fields, experts believe. Interest in domestic fuel depends one way or another on the outcome of the war in Iran, which could flare up with renewed vigor at any moment.

Bangladesh to buy Russian fuel

The difficult situation in the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20% of the world's oil and LNG passes, has caused a stir around Russian energy resources. In particular, Bangladesh is considering the possibility of starting purchases from the Russian Federation, which has a critical 95% dependence on fuel imports.

— The Bangladeshi side has voiced its interest in importing Russian petroleum products against the backdrop of the global energy crisis and the acute shortage of energy resources in the country. According to the embassy, relevant negotiations are currently underway between relevant Russian companies and Bangladeshi partners, the Moscow diplomatic mission in the republic told Izvestia.

In mid-April, after the cancellation of oil supplies from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, Bangladesh's only state-owned refinery shut down. And the government of the country began to look for opportunities to diversify purchases. In particular, it requested a temporary permit from the United States to import Russian oil. Local and Western media also report that Bangladesh is waiting for a "green light" for the import of about 600 thousand tons of fuel oil, and the first batch of diesel with a volume of 100 thousand tons from the Russian Federation is already on its way.

— Another question is, how long will this interest last? It's just a situation like this right now. For example, in the spring, the Bangladeshi media wrote about panic purchases of any kind of affordable fuel by the population "for a rainy day." So, probably, we are talking about peak demand now. The fuel base continues to be covered by neighboring countries anyway," Maria Savishcheva, a junior researcher at the IMEMO RAS Center for the Indian Ocean Region, told Izvestia.

As for petroleum products, Russia has great competition from India, China, and the Southeast Asian countries neighboring Bangladesh, such as Indonesia and Malaysia. That is why the Russian Federation is focused on cooperation not only in terms of fuel supplies, but also in the field of, for example, nuclear power generation. And the supply of petroleum products is likely to give an impetus to the development of other, related areas of cooperation, the expert believes.

A week ago, Rosatom just launched the first power unit at the Rooppur NPP under construction: the loading of fresh nuclear fuel began. Alexey Likhachev, the head of the state corporation, noted that Bangladesh is also interested in other potential projects, such as small and floating nuclear power plants.

Cooperation is also developing in the field of gas exploration.

— Gazprom is interested in resuming cooperation with its Bangladeshi partners, which successfully implemented 20 gas well construction projects on Bhola Island in 2010-2024. The company has unique exploration technologies and guarantees one hundred percent drilling efficiency," the embassy told Izvestia.

The country is extremely interested in various alternatives to oil and gas supplies. The shortage of resources forces us to increase purchases of coal, for example, from India, and the issue of ecology inevitably arises. As a result, in June 2025, the Government of the country approved the concept of renewable energy policy. As Russian Ambassador to the Republic Alexander Khozin reported earlier, Russian companies working in the field of solar energy have already sent proposals to the Bangladeshi side on the implementation of joint initiatives.

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New Delhi extended a helping hand to the states that criticized it amid the energy crisis

South Asia relies on Russian energy

The countries of South Asia as a whole have noticeably intensified their search for alternative fuel sources, following their neighbors from the Southeastern part of the region. In early April, Sri Lanka agreed to supply Russian oil. Transport Minister Bimal Ratnayake called the supply of Russian energy resources "the number one priority." Pakistan is under negotiation, and we are talking about a long—term contract. Ambassador to Moscow Faisal Niaz Tirmizi stressed that Islamabad expects to avoid the impact of Western sanctions in possible deals with Moscow.

The main obstacle in the long term is the US sanctions. Currently, all the activity in the fuel market is primarily related to the fact that the US Treasury has already twice issued a license for the sale, transportation and unloading of Russian oil and petroleum products. The current one is valid until May 16, and it is still unclear whether the agency is going to extend it.

— Most countries in the region, of course, are interested in Russian oil, but they probably fear possible consequences from the United States. All South Asian countries are now monitoring how India will try to increase or at least not lose its purchases of Russian oil," explains Maria Savishcheva.

India has indeed increased purchases of Russian oil as sanctions risks decrease and amid a shortage of Middle Eastern supplies. New Delhi is a kind of flagship for the countries of the region in this matter, as it is under the most serious pressure from the United States. In August 2025, by decree of the head of the White House, duties of 25% were imposed on it due to the purchase of Russian oil. In February of this year, Donald Trump lowered them because Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi allegedly promised to stop them and switch to American oil. There has been no official confirmation of this from New Delhi, and what is happening now suggests the opposite.

Meanwhile, the truce in the Middle East risks breaking down at any moment and escalating into another escalation, further hampering fuel supplies. On May 4, the United States launched Operation Project Freedom to help the crews stranded in the Persian Gulf due to the fighting. And although the head of the White House, Donald Trump, described the mission as humanitarian, Washington's attempts to restore navigation in the Strait of Hormuz caused discontent in Tehran. They considered it a threat to strategic interests.

At the same time, the UAE was subjected to a massive attack by ballistic missiles and drones, including on the oil infrastructure in Fujairah, a strategically important hub on the coast of the Gulf of Oman. According to the Emirati authorities, Iran is behind the strikes, but the charges are denied in the Islamic Republic.

This does not put an end to the negotiation process between Washington and Tehran, but it certainly does not contribute to resolving the conflict. In particular, Donald Trump has again started talking about a military scenario and, according to American media, may order the resumption of war in Iran as early as this week.