The Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) has announced a significant increase in the retail price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for October, with the cost of the widely used 12kg cylinder rising by Tk 252 to Tk 1,837. The new prices will come into effect from 6 p.m. on Sunday and remain until further notice.
In addition to the 12kg cylinder price hike, the price of private LPG has been set at Tk 153.06 per kilogram for October, which marks an increase of Tk 20.94 compared to September’s Tk 132.12 per kilogram. Pricing for other cylinder sizes also rose, with 5.5kg cylinders now costing Tk 842, 12.5kg at Tk 1,913, 15kg at Tk 2,296, and 16kg at Tk 2,449. Larger cylinders have similarly seen increases: 18kg cylinders are priced at Tk 2,755, 20kg at Tk 3,061, 22kg at Tk 3,367, 25kg at Tk 3,827, 35kg at Tk 5,357, and 45kg at Tk 6,888.
Autogas, the LPG variant used as vehicle fuel, has also experienced a price adjustment. The commission raised the autogas price by Tk 11.53 per litre to Tk 84.62, up from Tk 73.09 in September. For LPG supplied in liquid form through reticulated delivery systems, the price including VAT has been set at Tk 149.31 per kilogram, reflecting an increase from Tk 128.37 in the previous month. The price for gaseous LPG through the same system was fixed at Tk 0.3319 per litre or Tk 331.90 per cubic metre.
BERC attributed the price adjustments primarily to changes in international market rates, referencing Saudi Aramco’s Saudi Contract Price (Saudi CP) for propane and butane in October. The Saudi CP for propane rose to $680 per tonne from $625 in September, while butane increased to $730 from $660. Taking a propane-butane ratio of 35:65, BERC calculated the average Saudi CP for October as $712.50 per tonne, up from $647.75 in September. The commission also factored in a rise in freight and importers’ premiums, which climbed to $250 per tonne from $160 the previous month. An average exchange rate of Tk 123.18 per dollar was used for October calculations, slightly lower than September’s Tk 123.30.
While private LPG prices increased, the price of government-supplied LPG remained steady. The consumer price of a 12.5kg government cylinder continues at Tk 776.93.
The recent price changes follow a fluctuating pattern for LPG over the past months. In September, the price of a 12kg cylinder had been reduced by Tk 13 to Tk 1,585 after a modest increase of Tk 70 in August. Prior months saw larger swings, including a total increase of Tk 599 across two adjustments in April, followed by reductions of Tk 412 combined in June and July.
The commission emphasized that bottled LPG, reticulated LPG, and autogas must not be sold at prices above those officially set, ensuring regulatory compliance at all stages from storage to retail distribution.