Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) Chairman Jalal Ahmed on Thursday said there is no possibility of a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) shortage during the upcoming Ramadan, citing a projected rise in imports.
He said operators bringing in additional LPG had not faced any obstruction and that around 150,000 tonnes were expected to arrive in January.
“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 titled Challenges of Regulating the LPG Market, organised by the LPG Operators Association of Bangladesh (LOAB) at the CIRDAP auditorium.
He urged LPG operators to act proactively so that supply conditions do not deteriorate during the fasting month.
“If 150,000 tonnes arrive in January, the problem will ease significantly. BERC has asked businesses to submit three-month projections for January, February and March. If January’s imports are ensured and February deliveries are confirmed, we may avoid an LPG shortage during Ramadan,” he said.
However, LPG Operators Association of Bangladesh President Mohammed Amirul Haque attributed the ongoing LPG crisis—now lasting more than 15 days—to what he described as a lack of government response to requests for higher import limits.
He said LOAB had applied for increased import quotas for five companies—IGas, Meghna Group, Delta, Omera and Jamuna—but received no response. He also claimed that LOAB members were not selling LPG at inflated prices.
Rejecting the allegation, BERC Chairman Jalal Ahmed said import limits were not a constraint, noting that several companies had already exceeded their approved ceilings.
“IGas, with a 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 against a 250,000-tonne limit; Jamuna Spacetech imported 208,000 tonnes against a 180,000-tonne limit; and Delta LPG imported 80,000 tonnes despite a 60,000-tonne cap,” he said.
“Those who crossed their limits were not stopped. So it does not make sense to blame import limits for the LPG shortage,” he added.
Jalal said shipment disruptions were the primary cause of the supply crunch, pointing to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, particularly involving Iran.
He said increased LPG purchases by China had driven up international prices, while supply chains were further strained after many vessels were blacklisted in November and December.
“In November, 184 vessels and 10 companies were sanctioned, and in December another 29 vessels were added. With Iranian energy exports disrupted, large buyers like China have increased purchases, leaving smaller buyers like Bangladesh with fewer options,” he said.
Currently, a 12kg LPG cylinder—officially priced at Tk1,306—is being sold for Tk2,500 to Tk2,800, while many consumers are unable to obtain gas even after making advance payments.
Consumers Association of Bangladesh President AHM Shafiquzzaman expressed frustration and demanded an investigation to determine where the extra 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 use LPG, making it an essential commodity.
He said the government is updating the LPG policy, which will include guidelines aimed at addressing existing challenges in the sector.
