Dhaka faces LPG supply crunch
For over a week now, the capital Dhaka has been facing an acute shortage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders. Despite demand at the consumer level, retail shops in the areas have run out of gas cylinders.
Customers are going from shop to shop in search of them. Even when cylinders are available, buyers are often forced to pay 700 to 800 taka more than the regulated price. Many have had to buy food from diners instead.
Yesterday, Saturday, visiting different areas in Mirpur and Mohammadpur revealed the difficulties faced by consumers. At around 10:00 am, Monir Mia, the caretaker of house number 127 on Road 5 in Kalshi’s journalist residential area in Mirpur, told Prothom Alo that the gas in a tenant’s cylinder on the seventh floor ran out in the morning. He contacted three regular shops over phone for a replacement cylinder. All three shops told him, “No supply of cylinders.”
Monir Mia said that since there was no gas, he had to get breakfast from a diner for the tenant. When asked if any shopkeeper had offered gas for a higher price, he said, “There is no cylinder; even if you pay extra, what can they do? Where would they get it from?”
At Binimoy Traders in D Block, Mirpur Section 12, LPG is sold at retail price. The shop mainly supplies cylinders to houses in F Block of Section 11 and D Block of Section 12 in Mirpur, according to Hasan Mahmud, who identified himself as the shop owner. He said that for nearly ten days, distributors have not delivered any cylinders.
Hasan Mahmud said that he used to sell 15 to 20 cylinders daily. Now, the shop has no stock. Last Thursday, he brought three cylinders from larger suppliers and sold each for 2,000 taka. However, he stated that yesterday he stopped selling at higher prices.
Regarding the higher price, Hasan Mahmud said, “The dealers are not giving any receipt for selling at extra prices. Customers ask many questions. That’s why I am not selling anymore.”
In various areas of Mirpur Sections 10, 11, and 12, Spark Energy Solutions supplies LPG cylinders wholesale to small and retail sellers. A sales representative of the company, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Prothom Alo that for almost two weeks, they have not received regular cylinder supplies.
Previously, a shipment would include 150–200 cylinders of 12 kg and 35 kg from the companies. Now, even if they request the same amount, only 15–20 cylinders are provided. The reason given for the shortage is that there is no stock of gas.
The few cylinders that are provided are allegedly sold at higher prices even at the company level, the sales representative claimed. However, he could not confirm the exact price at which the cylinders are purchased at the supplier level. He added that the owners pay via bank transfer.
In Mohammadpur also, the retail shops did not have LPG cylinders. Sellers said that suppliers are not providing cylinders. Shopkeeper Ramiz Ali from Shekhertek said that many people called, and he had to inform them there was no gas. Some did not believe it and came to the shop to check themselves.
Siam Hossain, a resident of Shekhertek, said that because there was no gas, cooking at home was not possible and had to get food from outside. This caused additional expenses and inconvenience.
The most commonly used 12 kg LPG cylinder for household cooking is priced at 1,253 taka at the consumer level as regulated by the government. However, in the market, the price has exceeded 2,000 taka.
Legally, taking even one taka extra is not allowed. But in practice, taking advantage of the shortage to hike prices has no supervision, according to consumers.
Consumers can report complaints to the National Consumer Rights Protection Department’s hotline at 16121 (24/7) or online at www.dncrp.com