(Bloomberg) -- Bangladesh purchased a liquefied natural gas shipment after an eight-month hiatus, the latest sign that plummeting prices are making the fuel affordable again for energy-starved emerging nations.

The South Asian country bought a shipment from the spot market earlier this week for February delivery, according to traders with knowledge of the matter. That comes after Asian LNG prices dropped about 70% since August.

While Asian LNG spot prices are still double their 10-year average through 2020, the recent declines will bring welcome relief to Bangladesh’s government, which had been forced to trigger rolling blackouts across the country to conserve fuel and reduce the strain on the grid. The government had halted additional LNG purchases in June after prices surged in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and called for austerity in electricity consumption.

Emerging nations shunned expensive LNG shipments for much of last year, instead turning to cheaper fuel — such as coal — or rationing gas to industries and consumers. That’s changing now that a mild start to winter in Europe and North Asia is making the fuel more affordable again for the likes of India and Thailand.

Bangladesh is also in a better position to buy fuel on international markets after this week securing $4.7 billion in loans from the International Monetary Fund. The nation’s foreign-exchange reserves had dwindled after the surge in commodity prices last year.

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