LPG Cylinder Price Rises Again, 12-kg Cylinder Now Costs Tk 2,060

Bangladesh has raised the LPG cylinder price for the second time in two months, adding fresh pressure on households and small food businesses that depend on bottled cooking gas.

The Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) increased the official price of a 12-kg cylinder by Tk 223 to Tk 2,060 on 2 November. The new rate took effect from 8pm that day. On 4 October, the commission had raised the price by Tk 252 to Tk 1,837.

Together, the two increases add Tk 475 to the cost of one 12-kg cylinder, a rise of roughly 30 percent. A family that buys one cylinder a month will pay about Tk 5,700 more a year if the price holds, and a family that uses two will pay about Tk 11,400 more.

The official figure is not always what buyers pay. For more than a month, supply has been uneven, and in many areas customers have paid Tk 2,200 to Tk 2,300 for a cylinder officially priced at Tk 1,837. Some have reported being charged Tk 500 to Tk 700 above the set rate.

The price of autogas, used as vehicle fuel, also went up. It now stands at Tk 91.95 a litre, up Tk 7.33 from Tk 84.62. Restaurants and transport operators are likely to face higher running costs as a result.

LPG traders had pressed for higher margins on storage, bottling and distribution, and BERC held a public hearing on the demand on 29 October. Consumer rights campaigners have separately asked authorities to investigate artificial shortages, hoarding and overcharging.

Whether the higher official rate will bring cylinders back to shelves at the set price remains the key question for buyers.

Originally reported by Sarakhon