Bangladesh’s energy regulator has said it is unable to obtain accurate information from LPG importers on how much liquefied petroleum gas is being brought into the country.
Jalal Ahmed, chairman of the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC), said importers and their association have repeatedly failed to provide required data.
“We do not get any information from them. Even when we asked for a list of their distributors, half of the members did not submit it. We also do not get reliable figures on the volume of imports,” he said. “Last December, we received paperwork for only 60,000 to 90,000 tonnes.”
He made the remarks on Thursday while speaking as chief guest at a seminar titled ‘Roundtable on Regulatory Challenges in the LPG Market’, organised by Energy and Power at the CIRDAP auditorium in Dhaka.
The keynote paper was presented by Professor M Tamim, vice-chancellor of Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB), and a noted energy expert. Members of the LPG importers’ association were present. The session was moderated by Energy and Power editor Mollah Amzad Hossain.
Mr Ahmed said a large number of vessels had been blacklisted in November and December. In November alone, 184 vessels and 10 companies were placed under sanctions, while another 29 vessels were blacklisted in December.
He said that restrictions on Iranian energy exports had prompted major buyers such as China to purchase large volumes, leaving smaller buyers like Bangladesh with fewer opportunities in the global market.
Presenting LPG consumption figures, the BERC chairman said Bangladesh used 1.29 million tonnes in 2022, 1.28 million tonnes in 2023, 1.61 million tonnes in 2024 and 1.465 million tonnes in 2025.
Imports in the last three months of 2025 (October–December) were 163,000 tonnes lower than in the same period of 2024. He added that on 18 November a vessel carrying 20,000 tonnes of LPG approached Chattogram port but returned without unloading. Had that shipment been added, November imports would have stood at around 125,000 tonnes.
Mr Ahmed rejected claims that import limits were behind the supply problems, saying companies that exceeded their approved limits were not stopped.
He cited several examples, including IGas, which imported 183,000 tonnes last year despite a limit of 100,000 tonnes. Omera imported 320,000 tonnes against a limit of 300,000, Meghna imported 299,000 tonnes against a limit of 250,000, and Delta LPG imported 80,000 tonnes despite approval for only 60,000 tonnes.
He said BERC was sincere about regulatory reform and had taken steps to make licensing easier. “When we came in, we saw that 19 documents were required for a licence. We discussed reducing this to 13, and it can even be brought down to four. We do not necessarily need to see separate clearances from the environment, explosives and fire service authorities,” he said.
He added that a proposal to reduce BERC’s licence fee from Tk1.8 million to Tk1 million was submitted two years ago but remains stuck at the ministry.
Acknowledging the current LPG supply crunch, Mr Ahmed said BERC had spoken to both active and inactive importers and urged them to make maximum efforts to import more. “If we can ensure imports of 150,000 tonnes, I believe the shortage will ease,” he said.
Speaking at the event, Ruhin Hossain Prince, former general secretary of the Communist Party of Bangladesh, alleged that cylinders were being shown as empty to increase profits. “Otherwise, how is gas available when higher prices are paid?” he asked, calling for stronger state control of the sector.
Consumer Association of Bangladesh (CAB) president AHM Shafiquzzaman said LPG should be declared an essential commodity. “Why should it not be available at Tk1,306 in the market?” he asked, calling for greater transparency in the pricing mechanism.
He questioned where the extra money was going when consumers paid more, warning that future governments would face serious challenges if the issue was not addressed.
BNP leader and former MP Zahir Uddin Swapan said his party had sent positive policy signals and learned lessons from the past.
He said the party was concerned about the current system and would try to use digital tools to improve regulation. “Regulation should not mean only control. That cannot be a policy,” he said.
In his keynote presentation, Professor Tamim said people were struggling due to shortages of both pipeline gas and LPG.
He identified the need to obtain licences from multiple authorities as a major barrier to the sector, with annual fees running into Tk10–15 million. “Without regulatory reform, many operators will disappear and new investment will not come. The policy should be safety-focused, not control-oriented,” he said.
In his welcome address, Amirul Haque, president of the LPG importers’ association, said the industry was going through a critical phase.
“We are being penalised for having been in business for a long time. No new investors will come,” he said, calling for at least 200 acres of land to be allocated for tanker facilities to ease the crisis.
Abdur Razzak, chairman of JMI Group, urged authorities to identify the root causes of the problem, while Belayet Hossain, managing director of Jamuna Spacetech, said allegations of manipulation were misplaced and that the real problems lay at the dealer and sub-dealer levels. Several officials, including representatives from the Energy and Mineral Resources Division, Petrobangla, the Department of Explosives and the Department of Environment, also spoke at the seminar.