Ocean Aid Services Ltd (OASL) is positioning itself as a bridge between international financiers and Bangladesh's priority energy projects, targeting ventures worth above US$ 50 million under an EPC+F (engineering, procurement, construction and finance) model.
OASL Managing Director AHM Manzoor Alam said the Chattogram-based company will arrange financing for bankable projects by connecting them with qualified foreign investors and financing groups, but will not invest in the projects itself.
"We see energy security and the clean-energy transition as complementary priorities," he said, adding that Bangladesh needs long-term capital, technology and project expertise to meet its growing infrastructure demand.
OASL is pursuing opportunities in power generation, renewable energy, and energy infrastructure. The areas include utility-scale solar, gas-fired and hybrid fast-track power plants, transmission lines and substations, grid automation, SCADA and smart metering, battery energy storage and strategic facilities such as fuel storage and LPG terminals.
According to the financing criteria OASL is working with, the international financing groups prefer projects above USD 50 million. Such projects should have a medium implementation period of about two to three years and an import component.
Manzoor Alam said no project should be treated as a committed investment until it is formally confirmed. He said specific projects will be settled through official discussions with the relevant ministry, agency, or state entity.
OASL's immediate goal is to open official dialogue with ministries, agencies and state bodies to identify priority projects, followed by feasibility validation, term sheets and financing structures at the appropriate stage.
For EPC+F projects, government support will include naming a sponsoring ministry or state entity, confirming project priority, validating documentation and coordinating with agencies. Where the financing structure requires it, support will also include a sovereign loan arrangement through the Ministry of Finance.
Manzoor Alam said local participation is central to the proposed model.
Depending on the project, OASL may work with ministries, utilities, state-owned entities, Bangladeshi companies, EPC contractors and suppliers, he said.
"International partners will bring technology, engineering expertise, equipment, project management and finance, while OASL will handle local coordination and stakeholder engagement," the managing director said.
He said such projects could create jobs during construction and operation, bring in modern technology and knowledge, support local industry and boost economic activity around major infrastructure.
The extent of the benefits, Manzoor Alam added, will depend on each project's size, structure and commercial performance.
He pointed to Bangladesh's additional electricity requirements towards 2030 and the relatively small share of renewables in the current mix as creating scope for renewable generation, grid upgrades and storage. "OASL is committed to working within Bangladesh's established regulatory and procurement frameworks," he said.