LPG price fixed, but market sales exceed Tk 2,200
Although the government has fixed the price of a 12-kg LPG cylinder at Tk 1,940, it is reportedly being sold in the market at over Tk 2,200. At the same time, pipeline gas supply remains highly irregular, with stoves often producing only a weak flame and gas arriving intermittently for short periods, according to independent MP Rumin Farhana, who raised the issue in Parliament.
On Thursday, independent MP from Brahmanbaria-2, Rumin Farhana, moved a private resolution in Parliament, calling for the resumption of new residential gas connections in her constituency.
She alleged that although new household gas connections have been suspended since 2016, illegal connections are still being provided with the involvement of dishonest officials and employees. As a result, the government is losing revenue while genuine consumers are deprived of access to gas.
Farhana also expressed dissatisfaction that Brahmanbaria, despite being a gas-producing district, is not receiving adequate supply. “Brahmanbaria’s gas is supplied across the country, but the people of Brahmanbaria themselves do not get gas,” she said in Parliament.
Highlighting the daily hardship in her Sarail constituency, she said residents face severe gas shortages, with pressure often absent from morning to afternoon. Even when available, supply is inconsistent—“sometimes gas comes for an hour and then disappears again,” she said, adding that the situation worsens during winter. She also noted that alternative energy sources are expensive and unreliable, pointing out that LPG cylinders are officially priced at Tk 1,940 but are often sold for over Tk 2,200, while electricity shortages in rural areas further limit options for cooking.
She demanded priority supply for her district, stating, “First ensure Brahmanbaria gets its own gas, then supply it to other areas.”
In response, Energy Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud said gas supply has declined due to reduced pressure in the pipeline, while the government is prioritizing distribution to industries to maintain production.
He also criticized previous administrations for underinvestment in gas exploration, claiming that Bangladesh became overly import-dependent due to lack of domestic drilling. The minister said efforts are now underway to strengthen BAPEX and resume exploration, including plans to extract remaining reserves from abandoned gas fields.
The debate also touched on the shutdown of the Ashuganj Fertilizer Factory due to gas shortages. Farhana said restoring gas supply would help revive the plant and improve local livelihoods. In response, the minister assured Parliament that gas supply to the factory would be restored from May 1, even if it affects electricity production costs, in order to support agriculture.
