Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) Chairman Jalal Ahmed on Thursday said the country is unlikely to face a shortage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) during the upcoming Ramadan, as imports are expected to increase in the coming months.
“Those who brought in additional imports were not obstructed. Around 150,000 tonnes of LPG are expected to arrive in January. We hope there will be no problem during Ramadan,” Jalal said at a roundtable discussion titled ‘Challenges of Regulating the LPG Market’, organised by LPG Operators Association of Bangladesh (LOAB) at CIRDAP auditorium.
He urged LPG operators to take proactive measures to stabilise supply ahead of the fasting month. “If 150,000 tonnes arrive in January, the situation will improve significantly.
BERC has asked companies to submit import projections for January, February and March. If January’s imports are ensured and February shipments are confirmed, we can avoid a shortage during Ramadan,” he added.
LOAB President Mohammed Amirul Haque, however, blamed the ongoing LPG crisis; now lasting more than two weeks, on what he described as the government’s inaction in responding to requests for higher import limits.
He said LOAB had sought increased quotas for five companies; IGas, Meghna Group, Delta LPG, Omera and Jamuna, but received no response.
He also claimed that operators were not selling LPG at inflated prices.
Rejecting the allegation, Jalal said import limits were not responsible for the supply shortage, noting that several companies had already exceeded their approved ceilings.
“IGas, with an import limit of 100,000 tonnes, imported 183,000 tonnes. Omera imported 220,000 tonnes against a ceiling of 300,000 tonnes, Meghna brought in 299,000 tonnes despite a 250,000-tonne limit, Jamuna Spacetech imported 208,000 tonnes against a cap of 180,000 tonnes and Delta LPG imported 80,000 tonnes despite a 60,000-tonne limit,” he said.
“Those who exceeded their limits were not stopped, so blaming import restrictions for the shortage does not hold,” the BERC chairman added.
Jalal identified shipment disruptions as the primary cause of the supply crunch, citing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, particularly involving Iran.
He said rising LPG demand from China had pushed up global prices, while sanctions on vessels had further disrupted supply chains.
“In November, 184 vessels and 10 companies were sanctioned, followed by another 29 vessels in December. With Iranian energy exports disrupted, large buyers like China have increased purchases, leaving smaller importers such as Bangladesh with limited options,” he explained.
Despite the official price of a 12-kg LPG cylinder being set at Tk 1,306, cylinders are currently selling for Tk 2,500 to Tk 2,800 in the market, with many consumers unable to obtain gas even after making advance payments.
Expressing concern, Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) President AHM Shafiquzzaman called for an investigation to determine where the additional money was going if operators were not charging higher prices.
Meanwhile, Energy and Mineral Resources Division Joint Secretary AKM Fazlul Hoque said around six million households in Bangladesh currently rely on LPG, making it an essential commodity.
“The government is updating the LPG policy, which will include guidelines to address existing challenges in the sector,” he said.
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