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The price of a 12 kg LPG cylinder, officially fixed at Tk 1,253, has climbed by nearly Tk 1,000 in parts of Dhaka, leaving household users struggling as supplies tighten across the capital.
Against this backdrop, Power and Energy Advisor Fouzul Kabir Khan has said he will sit in discussions with stakeholders on Saturday evening, bdnews24.com reports.
He said the meeting would include the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC), Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) and other relevant bodies.
“I am trying to understand the issue clearly,” he added. “We will hold discussions among ourselves [on Saturday], including with the energy secretary and others.”
LPG cylinders have rarely been available at the government-set price in retail markets. Buyers usually pay at least Tk 200 more, but prices have now jumped by as much as Tk 1,000.
For December, the BERC fixed the price of a 12kg LPG cylinder at Tk 1,253.
Consumers say cylinders of the same size are now selling for between Tk 1,800 and Tk 2,200 in the capital and other areas, with even higher prices reported in some places.
In many localities, cylinders are unavailable even at inflated prices, leaving households struggling to cook. Many families rely on LPG due to the absence of pipeline gas or inadequate pressure in Dhaka and elsewhere.
Retailers blame dealers for the sudden shortage and price hike.
Distributor and operator associations, however, say supplies fell last month due to a drop in imports in December.
‘NO SUPPLY, DEALERS ASKING ABNORMAL PRICES’
Over the past few days, customers across the capital have complained of being unable to buy LPG anywhere near the fixed price.
Retailers say they are asking Tk 500 to Tk 800 more per cylinder, citing supply shortages, with some charging up to Tk 1,000 extra.
Md Pabel, proprietor of Rifa Enterprise in Kajla, Jatrabari, said: “Gas that we sold for Tk 1,250 just 10 days ago now has to be sold at Tk 2,200. Supply started falling from the 26th to 27th of December. Prices went up gradually and have now reached Tk 2,200.”
Explaining the reason, he said: “Cylinder gas is imported. Distributors have told us ships carrying supplies are not arriving, which has reduced availability.”
Mizanur Rahman, who oversees operations at Rahmatullah Enterprise in Adabor, Mohammadpur, said no cylinders had been supplied to the area for the past two days.
“Dealers are not supplying either small or large cylinders. They do not answer calls, and when they do, they quote abnormal prices.”
He said dealers were asking Tk 1,800 from retailers for a 12kg cylinder, while supplying only two to four units at a time.
“In this situation, we have been forced to stop bringing in cylinders.”
On government-fixed prices, he said: “We ourselves cannot buy gas at the official rate. Even last month, when the price was set at Tk 1,253, we had to buy at Tk 1,280 to Tk 1,300.”
“We are now the worst affected. Dealers are increasing prices at will,” he added.