‘Urgent need to bring LPG price down’
Staff Reporter :
The adviser to the interim government in charge of the Ministry of Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources, Mohammad Faozul Kabir Khan, has said that controlling LPG prices is crucial to tackling the country’s short-term energy crisis.
According to him, since the current market price of an LPG cylinder exceeds Tk 1,200, both industrial and household consumers are not getting proper benefits. The price, he said, should be within Tk 1,000.
He made these remarks on Saturday while speaking as the chief
guest at the policy conclave titled “LPG in Bangladesh: Economy, Environment, and Safety” organized by The Daily Banik Barta at the Grand Ballroom of the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka.
The adviser said, “The main challenge of LPG is its price. Cylinders priced at Tk 1,200 are often sold at Tk 1,400 to Tk 1,500.
Therefore, price control, logistics improvement, and greater efficiency in the private sector are urgently needed. Without responsible business practices, ensuring the country’s energy security will not be possible.”
He further stated that the current shortage of primary energy in the country is not a natural crisis, but rather the result of a planned situation. Because electricity generation and gas supply planning have ignored actual demand, a large number of illegal connections have emerged in both industry and households.
Faozul Kabir Khan mentioned that domestic gas production is declining by about 200 million cubic feet per year, while new extraction amounts to only 70 million cubic feet.
As a result, the country is compelled to import high-cost LNG, which has drawn criticism. However, due to the lengthy process involved, increasing reliance on LNG is difficult. Hence, in the short term, LPG can be an effective alternative to address the deficit.
BNP National Standing Committee member Dr. Abdul Moyeen Khan attended the event as a special guest, while Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) Chairman Jalal Ahmed was present as an honored guest.