Supply fuel oil on deferred payment Dhaka requests Riyadh
Dhaka has requested Riyadh to supply crude or refined oil from Saudi public oil company Aramco on a deferred payment basis.
Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen made the request when Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Essa Yousef Essa Alduhailan paid a courtesy call on him at the ministry yesterday.
A statement issued by the foreign ministry said, "Reflecting on the current political instability in parts of Europe, the foreign minister urged the [Saudi] envoy to explore possible cooperation from Saudi Arabia in meeting Bangladesh's domestic energy and oil needs and take up the issue of considering [providing] crude/refined oil from Aramco on a deferred payment basis."
The Saudi envoy assured the minister of taking up the proposal with the authorities concerned in the Kingdom.
The issue of importing oil from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA),a major source of Bangladesh's oil, at a deferred payment comes when Bangladesh's foreign reserve has dropped to a little over $32 billion as of January 26.
The International Monetary Fund recently approved a $4.7 billion loan to support Bangladesh's economy that, like many other countries, has been facing strains stemming mostly from the Russia-Ukraine war.
He handed over a letter to the minister from Saudi
Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al- Saud, inviting him for an official visit to Saudi Arabia to review and expedite ongoing collaborations.
Momen appreciated and accepted the invitation, and said the visit schedule would be fixed through a diplomatic channel.
During the meeting, they discussed various other issues and expressed satisfaction at the state of relations flourishing rapidly in many fields including political, economic, trade and investment, security and defense, manpower, and other areas.
On the prospect of further employment in Saudi Arabia with reference to Neom city, Momen conveyed Bangladesh's readiness to provide skilled workers and technicians.
He also indicated that Bangladesh was ready to assign a dedicated university or training institute to upskill people in specialised trades to cater to the Kingdom's needs.
Momen urged the Saudi envoy to explore the possibility of prospective financing in the Eastern Refinery Unit-2 from Saudi Fund for Development.
Saudi Ambassador Essa Yousef Essa conveyed to Foreign Minister Momen Saudi Arabia's readiness to facilitate Bangladesh's proposal to set up a fertilizer industry in KSA.