Not yet. Bangladesh has no hydrogen-specific statute and no dedicated licensing regime for hydrogen production, storage, transport or sale. Projects are assessed under existing laws, including energy regulation where the activity falls within regulated energy or power activities, safety rules for compressed gases and hazardous substances, environmental law, and land, construction and company law. Government energy planning has identified both fuels as future options, so specific rules may follow. Until then, we map the existing framework for each project and recommend engaging with the relevant ministries and regulators early to confirm how the project will be treated.

Depending on the project, relevant bodies may include the Power Division and Energy and Mineral Resources Division, the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission, the Department of Explosives for compressed gases and hazardous substances, the Department of Environment for environmental clearance, local development authorities for land use and building approvals, and the fire service. State entities such as Petrobangla, power utilities and the fertiliser corporation may be partners, suppliers or offtakers. Invest Bangladesh handles foreign investment registration, and Bangladesh Bank regulates foreign loans and remittances. We prepare an approvals map at the concept stage of each hydrogen project.

Generally, foreign investors can own energy and industrial projects through a Bangladeshi company, either wholly or in a joint venture, subject to any sector-specific restrictions and the terms of agreements with state entities. Capital must come in through an authorised dealer bank, the project may register with Invest Bangladesh, and foreign loans need approval and reporting. Projects supplying state entities may involve procurement processes or negotiated arrangements that set their own ownership expectations. We confirm the position for the specific project, because ownership affects licensing, finance and the developer's exit options. Treaty protection may also depend on the holding structure.

Lenders look for a creditworthy offtaker, a clear price formula, firm volume commitments or take-or-pay protection, and well-defined quality specifications. They also expect allocation of change in law, force majeure and termination risks, payment security such as letters of credit or guarantees, and compensation on early termination. Where the offtaker is a state entity, a government guarantee or other support may be sought. Because these markets are immature, flexibility to adjust prices and volumes as costs fall can be valuable. We draft offtake terms that balance these needs and meet lender expectations. Benchmarking against comparable regional contracts can also help.

Ammonia co-firing has been discussed in Bangladesh's energy planning and by technology partners as a way to reduce emissions from thermal power plants. Doing it in practice requires technical modifications, safety approvals for storing and handling ammonia, environmental clearance, changes to fuel supply arrangements and, for independent power producers, amendments to power purchase and implementation agreements with the state purchaser. Tariff treatment of additional costs is a central question. The cost of modifications must be agreed before work begins. We advise on the contractual and regulatory changes needed and how such fuels fit within existing power sector contracts.

Hydrogen and ammonia are hazardous substances, and their storage and transport are subject to licensing and safety rules administered mainly by the Department of Explosives, including rules on compressed gas cylinders and storage facilities, together with fire safety, factory and environmental requirements. Pipelines and road transport raise further approvals and liability questions. International standards and codes are often used where local rules are not detailed, and contracts should say which ones apply. We advise on licences, safety obligations, emergency planning and insurance, and on how contracts allocate responsibility for safety incidents across the supply chain.

Potentially, yes. A project that replaces higher-emission production or fuels may generate emission reductions that can be certified under recognised international standards or, in future, transferred under the Article 6 framework of the Paris Agreement, subject to government authorisation and corresponding adjustments. Methodologies, additionality and monitoring requirements must be met, and contract terms for credit sales need care. Carbon revenue can improve project economics but is rarely enough on its own. Buyers of credits increasingly scrutinise integrity and host-country authorisation, so documentation matters. We advise on registration, authorisations and credit sale agreements for low-carbon projects.

Project contracts with international parties commonly provide for arbitration, often in Singapore, London or Dubai, while contracts with state entities may require arbitration in Bangladesh under the Arbitration Act 2001. Foreign awards are enforced in Bangladesh under that Act. Disputes that reach the Bangladesh courts may fall under the Commercial Courts Act 2026, and some may need pre-case mediation under the Legal Aid Services (Amendment) Act 2026 as it rolls out. For investors, a bilateral investment treaty may also offer protection. We advise on dispute clauses at the drafting stage of project contracts and act if disputes arise.