LPG Price Hike Triggers Widespread Shortages, Government Urged to Act
The latest Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) price hike has left consumers worried amid supply shortages across Bangladesh. The Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) raised the rate of a 12-kilogram cylinder by Tk 252 to Tk 1,837. However, field reports indicate that 12-kg cylinders are selling for between Tk 2,200 and Tk 2,600 in areas where gas is available.
The high-level meetings and government crackdown on price gougers have failed to stem the crisis. Industry insiders attribute the unprecedented supply strain to a severe shortfall in national pipeline natural gas. The resulting power cuts and pipeline gas shortages have forced thousands of households, commercial eateries, and small industries to shift to bottled LPG.
Private importers cite mounting international headwinds, including a global shipping surge due to Middle East geopolitical conflicts. They claim actual international shipping costs have surged to $400 per tonne, forcing them to curtail import volumes to prevent heavy financial losses.