Bangladesh is actively engaged in diplomatic efforts with Iran to secure the release of a stranded shipment of 100,000 metric tons of crude oil currently held up in the Strait of Hormuz, officials said.

At the same time, the government has taken contingency measures by purchasing an additional 100,000 metric tons of crude oil from Saudi Arabia. This newly procured shipment is expected to be transported via the Red Sea directly to the Eastern Refinery in Chittagong.

According to the Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC), the arrival of this significant shipment of fuel within the next month is expected to substantially ease the ongoing energy supply constraints.

The stranded crude oil is onboard the vessel MT Nordic Pollux, which despite being positioned at Saudi Arabia's Ras Tanura port, has been unable to proceed to Bangladesh due to the lack of special clearance from Iranian authorities.

Although Iran has recently granted passage permission to six Bangladeshi vessels, the MT Nordic Pollux was not included in that list.

BSC Managing Director Commodore Mahmudul Malek stated that diplomatic channels have been activated to resolve the issue and efforts are ongoing to obtain the necessary clearance from Iranian authorities. 

Once the permission is granted, the vessel is expected to sail directly to Chittagong.

To avoid the complications of the Strait of Hormuz, the new crude oil will be collected from Yanbu Commercial Port, which is located outside Hormuz. Loading is expected to reach Chittagong between April 20 and the first week of May, with a total of 200,000 metric tonnes of oil in two ships.