Bangladesh’s energy regulator has increased the price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for February, raising the cost of a widely used 12kg household cylinder by Tk 50 to Tk 1,356, up from Tk 1,306 last month. In January, prices had risen by Tk 53.
The new tariff was announced on Monday by Jalal Ahmed, chairman of the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC), at a press briefing. The revised prices take effect from 6pm on the same day.
BERC reviews and sets LPG prices on a monthly basis. However, the regulator acknowledged that retail prices in the market often exceed the official rates.
The 12kg cylinder is the most commonly used for household cooking, but consumers have faced a supply shortage over the past month. Retailers have reportedly been charging Tk 800 to Tk 1,000 more per cylinder than the regulated price.
Responding to questions from journalists, Mr Ahmed said the officially announced prices reflect the cost structure under existing regulations. He attributed higher market prices to reduced supply, adding that efforts were under way to increase imports to ease the shortage.
Under the new pricing structure, the retail price of privately marketed LPG has been set at Tk 113.04 per kg, compared with Tk 108.83 per kg last month—an increase of Tk 4.42 per kg.