Russia has sought the cooperation of Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus to ensure continuity in the work of state-owned Russian company Gazprom International in Bangladesh’s gas exploration.

Alexander G Khozin, the Russian ambassador to Bangladesh, made the request when he called on the chief adviser at the state guesthouse Jamuna in Dhaka on Tuesday.

Gazprom has been present in Bangladesh since 2012 and has worked as a partner in exploring gas reserves.

In 2023, Gazprom International identified five new wells for further exploration in Bhola.

Prof Yunus thanked Gazprom for the necessary preparations for drilling five wells in Bhola and informed that the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources was working on the issue and open to further cooperation in this regard.

The ambassador discussed various issues during the meeting, including general and trade cooperation.

In 2024, the supply of Russian wheat to Bangladesh reached an all-time high, making the country the second-largest consumer of Russian grain after Egypt.

From July 2024 to January 2025, 2.3 million tonnes of Russian wheat reached Bangladesh, including 623,000 tonnes through G2G contracts.

The ambassador informed that Russia is also preparing to supply 30,000 tonnes of MOP (Muriate of Potash) fertiliser to Bangladesh as a gesture of friendship.

He also informed the chief adviser of a significant rise in the number of visas issued to Bangladeshis who discovered Russia as a new job destination in the fields of agriculture and shipbuilding.

The number of visas issued in January-March this year rose fourfold compared to the number of visas issued during the corresponding period last year.

The chief adviser thanked Russia for being with Bangladesh during the critical time of the post-Liberation War.