The ongoing shortage of LPG autogas in Bangladesh has pushed the country’s transport sector into a serious crisis, according to Engineer Md Sirajul Maula, president of the Bangladesh LPG Autogas Station and Conversion Workshop Owners’ Association.
Speaking at a press conference titled “The Negative Impact of the LPG Crisis on the Transport Sector” on Saturday at the Shafiqul Kabir Auditorium of the Dhaka Reporters’ Unity, Mr Maula warned that the situation had become “alarming”. The event was organised by the association.
Among those present were the association’s vice-president Saeeda Akhtar, general secretary Md Hasin Parvez, joint general secretary Engineer Md Iqbal Hossain, joint finance secretary Md Mokbul Hossain, joint organising secretary Md Humayun Kabir Bhuiyan, Md Mashiur Rahman and other senior members.
Mr Maula said LPG autogas is an environmentally friendly, easily available and cost-effective fuel that has long been used in vehicles as an alternative to CNG, petrol, octane and diesel. With government encouragement, nearly 1,000 LPG autogas stations have been established across all 64 districts of the country, and around 150,000 vehicles have been converted to run on LPG.
“However, due to the acute LPG shortage, almost all autogas stations across the country have effectively shut down,” he said. “This has caused immense suffering not only for station owners, but also for owners and drivers of LPG-run vehicles.”
He added that vehicles are being forced off the roads as drivers spend hours searching for gas, severely disrupting passenger services and causing widespread inconvenience to the public.
Mr Maula noted that Bangladesh consumes an average of about 140,000 metric tonnes of LPG each month, of which only around 15,000 metric tonnes—approximately 10 per cent—is used in the transport sector. “Yet the failure to ensure the supply of this relatively small amount has pushed the entire LPG autogas industry to the brink of collapse,” he said.
At the press conference, the association placed three key demands before the government including LPG supplying companies, operators and LOAB members must ensure LPG supply for autogas in line with demand by any means necessary.
It also demanded the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) and relevant authorities must urgently resolve all complications related to LPG imports and ensure uninterrupted supply to the autogas sector through operators.
To prevent future disruptions, all necessary measures should be taken, including arranging LPG imports from alternative sources under government initiative if required, they also demanded.
Issuing a strong appeal, the association said immediate, effective and visible government action is essential to safeguard energy security, maintain stability in the transport system, protectconsumer interests and preserve the environment. Failure to resolve the LPG crisis, it warned, would have far-reaching consequences for the wider economy and everyday life in Bangladesh.