The Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) has raised the price of a 12 kg cylinder of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) by Tk 252 to Tk 1,837 for October. The price, announced on Sunday afternoon, took effect the same evening. In September the cylinder cost Tk 1,585.
Cylinders of every size from 5.5 kg to 45 kg rose at the same rate, and autogas for vehicles went up from Tk 73.09 to Tk 84.62 a litre. The 12.5 kg cylinder sold by the state company stays at Tk 825, but its supply is so limited that most consumers cannot buy it.
BERC said it had adjusted the price because LPG costs more on the world market; it sets the price every month in line with international prices.
The increase comes as LPG is scarce in many parts of the country. In some places gas cannot be had even at a premium; elsewhere 12 kg cylinders are reportedly selling for Tk 2,200 to Tk 2,500. On Saturday BERC asked 12 importers to submit their September import and sales figures by Sunday, over allegations that they cut supply to create an artificial shortage. BERC chairman Jalal Ahmed said the commission would decide its next step once it had the figures.
The LPG traders' cooperative says importers cut supply by about 80 percent from 20 September and that some depots stopped supplying altogether after 25 September. Importers deny it, saying they sell to distributors at the regulated price and that any manipulation would be at distributor or retail level.
By BERC's figures, a 12 kg cylinder cost Tk 975 when monthly pricing began on 12 April 2021. It was Tk 1,253 in January this year, rose in two steps in April to Tk 1,940, fell in June and July, rose again in August to Tk 1,598 and was set at Tk 1,585 in September.
The report is from Samakal.
Photo: Tasma3197 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)
Source: Samakal
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