Consumers continue to struggle as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders are being sold in retail markets at rates significantly higher than the prices fixed by the government, compounding the financial strain from back-to-back monthly price hikes.

Despite regulatory price fixations by the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC), retail buyers report having to pay extra cash per cylinder due to a lack of strict market enforcement and a widening gap between official rates and ground-level realities.

Visiting different areas of Dhaka including Mogbazar, Rampura, Khilgaon, Poribag, Dhanmondi UNB Correspondent observed that 12 kg LPG cylinder is being sold over price than the fixed rate. Tea stall and small food and coffee shop vendors are struggling to survive in business as they bought LPG cylinders for around Tk2500.

The volatile LPG supply chain, coupled with disputes over storage, bottling charges, and distributor commissions, has allowed unscrupulous traders to exploit consumers.

Many retail shops and local dealers routinely ignore official tariff sheets, citing transport costs and artificial scarcity created by certain syndicates.

The persistent overpricing comes closely on the heels of successive price adjustments by BERC. BERC recently raised the price of a 12kg LPG cylinder by Tk 223, setting the retail rate at Tk 2,060—up from Tk 1,837. This followed a sharp increase of Tk 252 in October, driving up the cost of a standard cooking gas cylinder by Tk 475 over a span of just two months and severely squeezing lower- and middle-income households.

Consumer rights groups, including the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB), have repeatedly expressed deep concern over the failure to implement BERC-fixed prices at the retail level.

CAB and other stakeholders have demanded rigorous monitoring and immediate punitive actions, including the cancellation of licenses for operators and dealers found guilty of overcharging, to bring relief to millions of domestic consumers dependent on LPG for cooking.