Sylhet faces prolonged LPG shortage in of Ramadan
S A Shofiee:
“Even though we supply only half the gas needed and sell at minimal profit, retailers are charging whatever they like, holding customers hostage under the guise of home delivery,” said Kamal Hossain, a LPG supplier.
Public suffering has intensified across Sylhet as the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) market remains unstable for nearly two consecutive months, with supplies yet to normalise even during the holy month of Ramadan. The prolonged disruption has left thousands of households struggling to secure cooking fuel, forcing many families to pay inflated prices or endure long waits amid mounting frustration.
Speaking to the New Nation, Kamal said, “The LPG crisis is unlikely to ease during the holy month of Ramadan. However, supplies may improve slightly in March, which could make prices more manageable for consumers.”
A cylinder worth 1,353 taka has to be bought at an additional price of 1,800-2,000 taka.
Our Sylhet correspondent said that the LP gas crisis is not going to end soon. However, some initiatives have already been taken to tackle the problems. A realistic scenario from the trader’s side
According to information from the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC), 126,000 tons of LPG were imported in December. 167,600 tons of LPG were supposed to be imported in January to normalise supply.
Imports have reached 1 lakh 5 thousand tons. Imports may increase slightly in February. Importers say that the supply may have to wait until March for normalisation.
While talking to some retailers in the city, they said that even though the month of Ramadan has started, the gas crisis has not ended yet. It is not available as per the demand.
There is still a 50 per cent demand deficit. Therefore, it is not possible to sell it at the fixed price of 1 thousand 356 taka. Not only retailers and wholesalers, but also in various districts of the Sylhet division, LP gas is not available without a higher price.
Abdul Rashid, a resident of Sylhet, told the New Nation that market syndicates are jointly stealing the pockets of consumers due to the absence of a drive. While talking to various dealers in Sylhet, they said that the crisis has not ended yet. Even after going around here and there, it is not available as per the demand. Again, even if something is available, it has to be bought at a higher price.
According to LOAB and BERC, the current demand for LPG in the country is 1.6 to 1.7 million tons per year. More or less 5,000 tons of LPG are needed per day. Dealers and retailers sell it. At the consumer level, the government set the price of a 12 kg LPG cylinder in the private sector at Tk 1,306 in January. Last month, its price was set at 1,253 taka; that is, the price of 12 kg increased by Tk 53 in January.
