Bangladesh signs landmark deal with Trump admin to buy LNG
Diplomatic Correspondent || risingbd.com

Bangladesh Investment Development Authority Executive Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun, representing the Bangladesh government, and an Argent LNG official sign the non-binding agreement during a ceremony on 25 January 2025.
Bangladesh government has signed a non-binding agreement with Louisiana state-based Argent LNG to purchase up to 5 million metric tonnes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) annually.
Currently, Argent LNG is developing a 25 million metric tonnes per annum (MTPA) LNG facility in Louisiana.
This is the first major US LNG supply deal since President Donald Trump took office on Monday, and according to the parties, reflects industry confidence in the new administration’s pro-energy policies.
The United States is already the largest exporter of LNG in the world and is expected to double its capacity by 2028, according to the US Energy Information Agency.
“Bangladesh government today inked a landmark agreement with Trump administration based on its new energy export mandate. We were the first country to sign a deal since President Donald Trump took office. This agreement not only ensures a reliable energy supply for Bangladesh’s expanding industrial base but also strengthens our strategic partnership with the United States,” said Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun, the executive chairman of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA).
In a Facebook post, Ashik said the deal was signed today (January 25).
“Our country is in huge gas crisis, which is significantly impacting industrial growth and employment. It’s imperative that we find a long-term gas supply solution. The United States is an interesting alternative outside the Middle East, the traditional source of gas,” he wrote in the post.
“In future dealings with the Trump administration, we will be able to proudly say that Bangladesh was its first partner, aligning his [Trump’s] ‘America First’ with our ‘Bangladesh First’. Also, for us, Bangladesh’s interest always comes first,” he wrote.
Dhaka/Hasan/AI