Bangladesh is importing LPG at broadly normal levels, yet consumers are struggling to buy cylinders at the regulated price, as some operators have reduced supplies to the retail market while they wait for higher import costs to be reflected in the next price adjustment.
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As a result, although the government and LPG businesses say there is no overall shortage, consumers are having to pay Tk 400-600 above the official set price, and autogas stations say supplies have become inadequate.National Board of Revenue data show Bangladesh imported 1,23,975 tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas in July and 1,57,760 tonnes in August.Another 1,18,742 tonnes entered the country during the first 22 days of September. Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Jalal Ahmed told The Daily Star that imports had reached around 1,26,000 tonnes by Monday.Imports are normal. There is no problem with imports,\u201d Ahmed said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said imports during several months preceding August had generally remained between around 100,000 and 118,000 tonnes, while August saw a comparatively high 1,57,000 tonnes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The available figures therefore do not indicate an import collapse behind the latest retail crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some reported paying as much as Tk 2,200 — Tk 615, or nearly 39 percent, above the regulated price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Prime Minister\u2019s Information and Broadcasting Adviser Dr Zahed Ur Rahman yesterday said LPG supply and stocks remained satisfactory, citing assurances from importers and operators at a recent meeting with Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood Tuku.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said prices had nevertheless risen in some places despite adequate stocks, prompting the minister to warn all concerned to remain vigilant so that no one could hoard LPG with an ulterior motive to create public discontent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But conversations with LPG businesses suggest the present disruption is occurring after the fuel enters the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Daily Star spoke to at least four representatives of LPG operators, all of whom said fresh cargo costs had increased sharply amid disruptions in international supply. None wanted to speak on record.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They said premium and shipping costs had risen again in recent weeks, widening the gap between actual replacement costs and the assumptions reflected in BERC\u2019s current regulated price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBecause those additional costs cannot immediately be passed on to consumers under the monthly pricing mechanism, some operators have reduced supplies to the retail market while waiting for the higher costs to be reflected in the next BERC price adjustment,\u201d said a managing director of an LPG company, requesting anonymity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The president of the LPG Operators\u2019 Association of Bangladesh could not be reached despite repeated calls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The crisis is also evident in the autogas market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Serajul Mowla, president of the Bangladesh CNG and LPG Autogas Station and Conversion Workshop Owners Association, said stations had been receiving inadequate LPG since the middle of September.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Bangladesh is importing LPG at broadly normal levels, yet consumers are struggling to buy cylinders at the regulated price, as some operators have reduced supplies to the retail market while they wait for higher import costs to be reflected in the next price adjustment. As a result, although the government and LPG businesses say there […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":7193,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7192","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bangladesh"],"yoast_head":"\n