The Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) has fixed the price of Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) with effect from today (Monday, April 12, 2021).

 As per the new prices, the private companies will have to sell a 12 kg LPG at Tk 975 while LP Gas Company Ltd, the state-owned company, will sell its 12.5 kg LPG at Tk 591 at the retail level.

Read ‘Stop meddling in LPG price fixing process’

BERC Chairman Md Abdul Jalil announced the new prices at a virtual press briefing on Monday. 

 “The private companies’ LPG price was fixed on the basis of Saudi CP,” he told reporters.

At present, the private companies have been selling 12 kg LPG in the retail markets at Tk 1100 -Tk 1200 while those of the state-owned company over Tk 700.

Also read: BERC to start public hearing Thursday to re-fix LPG price at consumer level

About 20 private companies have been operating in the market with more than 95 percent market share by annually importing 1.2 million metric tons of bulk LPG from mainly Middle-East while the state-owned LP Gas Company is locally producing 25,000 MTs of LPG from locally produced condensates at different gas fields. 

Abdul Jalim said it will be very tough for them to ensure the enforcement of the new LPG prices as they don’t have any mechanism or offices at the district of upazila level.  

“We’ll need to formulate some new rules and regulattions to ensure the effectiveness of the new prices of LPG”, he said adding that the administrative bodies will have to enforce the price by their own administrative measures.

Also read: BERC seeks opinions for public hearing on LPG price on January 14-18

“BERC is regulator, not an enforcerent agency”, he defended his position saying that this is first time the regulator announced the LPG prices.