LPG cylinders\\\' supply drops for blockade

The sale of LPG cylinders dropped by around 40 per cent as transportation system breaks down following BNP-led 20-party's nationwide indefinite blockade and hartals for the last ten days.
 "Distribution of LPG cylinders across the country has been disrupted as we are not getting trucks despite ready to pay two to three times higher fares than the normal rates," Petredec Elpiji Ltd General Manager Md Saidul Islam told the FE Thursday.
He said, "Generally we have to pay Tk 40,000 to Tk 45,000 per truck from Chittagong to Mongla while last week we paid above Tk 60,000. Unfortunately, we are ready to pay Tk 80,000 to Tk 100,000 but the truck owners and drivers are not ready to go."
He said mainly the distribution of LPG cylinders to northern parts of the country like Thakurgaon, Syedpur, Rangpur, Rajshahi, Natore, Sirajganj totally stopped as transportation system has broken down.
Bashundhara LP Gas Ltd and Sunderban Industrial Complex head of division operation and planning Md Jahidul Islam said, "We have shortage of storage capacity and we are not able to distribute LPG cylinders as transportation system disrupted."
 "We are not able to send LPG cylinders and on the other hand the empty cylinders are lying with the customers or distributors following unavailability of transportation," he said.
He urged the authorities concerned to provide special protection during transportation through trucks as LPG laden transport is flammable. A simple fire can create a big blast. 
Due to shortage of LPG cylinders, some distributors are taking the advantage and selling those at higher prices.
Plant-gate prices of 12kg LPG cylinder of Kleenheat or Petragaz are now Tk 1,200, Bashundhara Gas Tk 1,250, Total Gaz Tk 1180 and Jamuna Gas Tk 1,130.
Distributors said the consumers can buy a cylinder at Tk 1300-1350 across the country after the price reduction by the LPG firms.
LPG is a combination of butane and propane at the ratio of 70:30. The annual consumption of LPG in Bangladesh is estimated at 100,000 tonnes.
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