US Special Envoy Gor’s Dhaka visit

The timing of US Special Envoy for South and Central Asia Sergio Gor’s visit to Bangladesh could hardly be more significant for the country’s energy sector.

Bangladesh is facing an acute gas shortage that is disrupting industries, transport, households and power generation.

At the same time, Washington has emerged as the world’s largest LNG exporter.

Dhaka should therefore use the envoy’s visit to explore deeper and more reliable US cooperation in meeting its growing LNG requirements.

The urgency is already evident. On Tuesday (28 July), the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs gave in-principle approval to importing LNG from US-based Gunvor USA LLC under a government-to-government (G2G) arrangement, covering both short- and long-term contracts.

Under the proposal, Gunvor would supply six LNG cargoes annually for 13 years, from 2026 to 2039.

This is a welcome development, but Bangladesh should look beyond a single procurement arrangement.

The country needs a broader and more strategic framework for LNG cooperation with the United States.

The current crisis demonstrates why. Following a fire at Excelerate Energy’s floating LNG terminal, the supply of regasified LNG to the national grid has fallen sharply.

The shortfall has reached around 550 million cubic feet per day, affecting households, industries, captive power plants and CNG filling stations.

The power sector has also come under pressure, with gas shortages contributing to load-shedding of more than 1,500MW during many hours.

The United States is particularly important in this context because of its extraordinary rise as an LNG supplier.

US LNG exports increased from less than 0.03 trillion cubic feet in 2015 to 5.2 trillion cubic feet in 2025, making the country the world’s largest LNG exporter. Its share of the global LNG market reached 25.4 per cent last year.

Moreover, the expansion of US production and export infrastructure suggests that Washington will remain a major force in the global LNG market for years to come.

For Bangladesh, stronger US engagement could bring several advantages.

Long-term supply agreements could provide greater predictability, while short-term contracts could offer flexibility during periods of domestic shortage.

US LNG’s flexible commercial structure may also allow cargoes to be redirected according to market conditions.

Such flexibility is particularly valuable for a country vulnerable to sudden disruptions in supply.

During his Bangladesh visit, therefore, Sergio Gor should be presented with a clear message: energy security should be an important pillar of the growing Bangladesh-US relationship.

Dhaka should seek Washington’s assistance not only in securing LNG cargoes but also in developing long-term supply arrangements, strengthening LNG infrastructure, improving storage and regasification capacity, and attracting investment and technical expertise in the energy sector.

However, greater dependence on US LNG should not mean replacing one dependency with another.

Bangladesh must maintain a diversified portfolio of suppliers, negotiate competitive prices and ensure transparency in procurement.

It must also improve domestic gas exploration, transmission and distribution infrastructure.

LNG can bridge the supply gap, but it cannot permanently substitute for sound energy planning.

The immediate objective should be to ensure uninterrupted energy for households, industries and power plants.

The broader objective should be to build a resilient and diversified energy system. Gor’s visit provides Bangladesh with an important diplomatic opportunity to pursue both.

Dhaka should seize it and make LNG cooperation a practical cornerstone of the expanding Bangladesh-US economic partnership.