LPG price hike hits Barisal households hard 

 
BARISAL, Apr 4:  The recent surge in Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) prices has triggered widespread frustration and despair across Barisal, as the cost of a 12.5 kg cylinder nears Tk 2,200 in some areas. 

This latest hike, which effectively increases the cost of cooking gas by nearly 50 per cent over the last 15 months, has left low- and middle-income families struggling to recalibrate their monthly household budgets.

Even ten days before the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) officially announced the new rates, retailers in Barisal city were selling 12.5kg cylinders for Tk 2,000. In the upazilas, prices had already touched Tk 2,100 to Tk 2,200. Following the formal price adjustment on Thursday, prices jumped by another Tk 50 to Tk 100 on Friday, further straining the pockets of consumers.

The impact of the hike was felt immediately in the transport sector. On Friday morning, LPG-run three-wheelers across Barisal city unilaterally increased their fares by 25 to 50 per cent, leading to chaotic scenes and day-long altercations between drivers and passengers. Routes that previously cost Tk 15 now see drivers demanding Tk 20, while Tk 20 fares have jumped to Tk 25 or more.

Economists warn that this 20 percent jump in a single stroke will have a domino effect on inflation. "When cooking and transport costs rise simultaneously, it hits the most vulnerable hardest. We are looking at a significant spike in the cost of living," noted one local expert.

Local dealers claimed they are being forced to overcharge because gas companies were reportedly collecting at least Tk 300 more than the government-fixed rate even before the hike. However, representatives of several gas companies denied these allegations, insisting they have strictly followed government regulations despite incurring losses.

On the ground, market monitoring remained largely absent throughout Friday. While some companies were seen distributing cylinders at Tk 1,850, retailers continued to charge over Tk 2,000. Sources within the district administration indicated that, much like the monitoring of fuel oil, an intensive surveillance operation is expected to begin on Sunday to rein in price manipulation.

"Every few months, something essential becomes unaffordable," said a local salaried employee. "First it was eggs and onions, then electricity, and now the gas we use to cook our meals. Our salaries aren't increasing, but our survival is becoming a luxury."