Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) has announced an increase in the price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), raising the cost of a 12kg cylinder by Tk19 to Tk1,478.
Price of auto gas has also been revised, rising by 89 paisa per litre to Tk67.74. The new rates, declared by BERC Chairman Jalal Ahmed on Sunday, will come into effect from 6:00 pm the same day.
The price adjustment has been attributed to the rising cost of LPG in the international market and the depreciation of the Bangladeshi taka against the US dollar.
The import cost of LPG has reportedly increased by an average of $10 per tonne.
Additionally, on 1 February, the Energy and Mineral Resources Division raised the prices of diesel, kerosene, petrol, and octane by Tk1 per litre through an executive order.
Also present at the announcement were BERC members Syeda Sultana Razia, Mizanur Rahman, and Abdur Razzak, among others.
In January, BERC adjusted LPG prices twice. Initially, on 2 January, prices were revised, and later, following an increase in VAT, the cost was set at Tk1,459.
Despite a decline in global LPG prices, the rising value of the US dollar prevented a price reduction.
Compared to December, the per-tonne cost of propane and butane dropped by $13.33, which, under normal circumstances, would have led to a price cut.
Since its introduction in April 2021, the pricing mechanism for imported LPG has been linked to fluctuations in Saudi Arabian benchmark rates, while other commission fees have remained unchanged.
Although BERC announces monthly price adjustments, concerns persist over the unavailability of LPG at the government-set rates in the market.
