Despite repeated price hikes, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is not available at the government-fixed rate in the market. The official price for the most commonly used 12 kg LPG cylinder is Tk 2,060, but it is still being sold for up to Tk 2,500. Complaints also persist that supply has not yet normalized.
In this context, the Energy and Mineral Resources Division held a meeting on Monday with representatives of the LPG Operators Association of Bangladesh (LOAB), the importers' body. Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud and State Minister Anindya Islam Amit discussed increasing LPG imports with the business leaders during the meeting.
The information was shared in a press release from the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources. It stated that discussions covered increasing fuel imports and supply, keeping prices under control, and taking action against dishonest dealers or distributors.
Uncontrolled Prices and Public Discontent
The unregulated LPG market has placed an immense burden on citizens across all classes, from laborers to the middle class, and has become a source of public unrest. The recent protests by readymade garment workers in Dhaka, Gazipur, Narayanganj and elsewhere were significantly fueled by the rising prices of fuel, electricity and LPG.LPG prices in Bangladesh are already 45-50 percent higher than in neighboring countries. When consumers are still forced to buy cylinders at prices well above the government-set rate, the effectiveness of market monitoring mechanisms comes into question.
