A mechanic is busy fixing faulty electric stoves at a shop in RDA Market of Rajshahi city. Crowd for mending old or defective cooking appliances has spiked in recent times with LPG cylinder supply shrinking sharply and their prices climbing — FE Photo RAJSHAHI, Jan 22: The prolonged Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) crisis in Rajshahi city is no longer confined to kitchen inconvenience. Its ripple effects are now being felt across household budgets, daily lifestyles and the local market, as thousands of families are forced to switch to electricity-based cooking amid acute shortage of gas cylinders and their rising prices.
With LPG cylinder supplies shrinking sharply and prices climbing beyond the reach of many, prices and demand of electric stoves and induction cookers have surged as well in recent weeks.
At the same time, repairs of long-unused rice cookers, curry cookers and pressure cookers have witnessed an unexpected boom.
Rajshahi last received new residential gas connections in June 2015. Since then, the growing city has remained almost entirely dependent on LPG. However, gas supply infrastructure has not expanded in line with population growth and urbanisation, gradually turning the problem into a chronic crisis.
Traders say the situation worsened significantly in January, with LPG cylinder supplies dropping by as much as 75 per cent compared to normal times. In many neighbourhoods, cylinders are unavailable for days.
According to Faruk Hossain, general secretary of the Rajshahi LPG Traders Association, the city's daily demand stands at around 3,000 to 3,500 cylinders. "At present, supply is less than one-third of demand," he said, adding that several major companies, including Omera and Jamuna, have introduced rationing or limited distribution, while some suppliers have halted deliveries altogether.
As a result, households are rapidly shifting towards electric alternatives. Visits to key markets such as RDA Market and Zero Point reveal crowded showrooms selling electric stoves and induction cookers. Retailers report that sales of electric cooking appliances have increased by around 40 per cent compared to normal periods.
Faisal Ahmed, owner of Fresco Cookeries at RDA Market, said demand has spiked over the past few weeks. "Induction cookers are selling the most. Many families are buying more than one unit to reduce dependence on gas," he noted.
However, not all households can afford new appliances. Middle- and lower-middle-income families are increasingly relying on repairing old, unused cooking devices. Repair shops in RDA Market and Zero Point are now operating at full capacity, with customers lining up from morning to evening.
Mahfuzur Rahman, a resident of the Shiroil area, said his family had several electric appliances lying idle for years. "Because of the gas crisis, we have repaired all of them at once. Now we depend on electricity for daily cooking," he said.
Repair technician Mahbub described the workload as unprecedented. Compared to before, daily repair jobs have more than tripled. Most customers need heating coils, thermostats or wiring replaced, he explained.
The growing reliance on electricity has also raised fresh concerns. Many consumers fear a sharp rise in monthly power bills. "Gas is unavailable or too expensive, and now electricity bills are increasing, said Abu Sayeed, a private sector employee. "But at the moment, we have no alternative."
Ahmed Shafi Uddin, president of the Rajshahi district unit of Citizens for Good Governance (Shujon), said repeated assurances about resolving the LPG crisis have failed to materialise.
Electricity is gradually replacing gas in Rajshahi kitchens, reshaping household expenses and lifestyles. However, without effective control over electricity supply and pricing, this forced shift may trigger another crisis, he warned.
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