Price of a 12kg cylinder of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has decreased by Tk 65 to Tk 1,232 as Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) has announced its latest price for the month of January.
However, the price of LPG, marketed by state-owned LP Gas Company, has not changed, so it remains at Tk 591 as before as it is locally produced with a market share of less than 5 per cent.
BERC Chairman Md Abdul Jalil on Monday announced the latest prices during a virtual press conference.
According to the announcement, the prices of propane and butane in January have been fixed at $590 and $650 respectively based on Saudi Aramco’s prices. Accordingly, the price of the propane and butane mixture is fixed at $599.75.
The price of private LPG supplied in liquid form through a reticulated system has been fixed at Tk 99.46 per kg, including VAT for January. The price was Tk 104.85 per kg in December.
As per the new price, 12kg LPG cylinder cost has lowered by Tk 65 as a retail consumer will get it at Tk 1,232 instead of Tk 1,297. The retail price of LPG has been fixed at Tk 102.7 per kg from previous price of Tk 108.09 per kg.
“LPG prices for other sizes of cylinders – from 5.5kg to 45kg – will go down rationally. The price of “auto gas” (LPG used for motor vehicles) also decreased to Tk 57.41 per litre from previous price of Tk 60.41 per litre, down by Tk 3 per litre,” BERC chairmen said.
Earlier, the commission increased the price of LPG by Tk 46 and fixed the price of every 12 kg cylinder at Tk 1,297 for the month of December.
In November, the price of a 12kg cylinder of LPG, mostly used for cooking, was increased by Tk 51 to Tk 1,251.
Last time the price of a 12kg cylinder of LPG went down and was back in October 2022, when BERC reduced it by Tk 35 to Tk 1,200.
The LPG price went up to the highest, Tk 1,439 (per 12kg cylinder), in the local market, following the start of the Russia-Ukraine war in February last year.
LPG price in Bangladesh was the lowest at Tk 1,225 for a 12kg cylinder in January last year and it witnessed continuous hikes in February, March and April in 2022.
The BERC has set the price of LPG each month by adjusting the prices of propane and butane with those set by Saudi Aramco to keep pace with the international market since 2021.