The government has warned liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) operators against creating artificial shortages or disrupting supplies to press commercial demands, threatening legal action under the Essential Commodities Act, 1956, if they fail to withdraw their strike.
Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood and Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir issued the warning on Wednesday following a meeting with LPG operators at the ministry.
The government is developing strategies to ensure stable long-term LPG supplies while keeping prices affordable for consumers.
Iqbal Hassan Mahmood said commercial disputes should be resolved through negotiations rather than strikes, particularly when global conflicts have already disrupted energy markets, driven price fluctuations and constrained supplies.
He said the government had instructed the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (Berc) to hold discussions aimed at keeping LPG prices within a tolerable range for consumers. Berc has also been directed to initiate legal action under the Essential Commodities Act, 1956, if operators refuse to withdraw their strike, he warned.
The minister said repeated strikes to secure higher commodity prices would not be accepted, stressing that an elected government had a responsibility to protect people from hardship.
He said government officials had already held three meetings with LPG operators to review operational issues, while BERC had taken steps to address their grievances. Wednesday’s meeting also discussed ways to resolve the operators’ problems, with another round of talks scheduled for 30 October to help maintain market stability.
Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir said uninterrupted supplies of essential commodities, including LPG, were critical because disruptions directly affected the lives and interests of crores of people.
He warned that the government would not allow instability or artificial shortages in supply and distribution networks.
Referring to the Essential Commodities Act, 1956, the minister said the law remained in force to maintain discipline in the essential commodities market and that traders and suppliers must act responsibly.
He acknowledged that disagreements over profits, losses and commissions were common in business but said they should be settled through dialogue and mutual understanding.
The government remained committed to finding acceptable solutions to such disputes, he added.
However, Muktadir made clear that operators could not use the market as leverage to secure commercial concessions.
He said creating artificial shortages or disrupting the supply of essential products such as LPG to put pressure on the government was unacceptable, particularly when such actions caused public suffering.
The minister urged traders, operators and suppliers to prioritise public interest, maintain normal supplies and resolve outstanding issues through negotiations.
The meeting was attended by the chairman of Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC), the secretary of BERC, the chief inspector of explosives and the secretary general of the LPG Operators Association of Bangladesh (LOAB).
Managing directors of major LPG suppliers, including LPG Gas Limited, Bashundhara LPG, Beximco, Omera and Jamuna, were also present, alongside representatives of other LPG sector organisations who addressed the meeting.
