LPG traders call off strike after BERC assurance

FE REPORT | January 09, 2026 00:00:00

A prolonged gas crisis in different parts of the capital is driving household consumers to buy alternatives like induction stoves and rice cookers. In this photo taken at a shop at the Baitul Mukarram market in Dhaka on Thursday, customers check out a range of such appliances. — Photo: K Asad-Uz-Zaman

Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) traders Thursday called off their strike on an assurance from the energy regulator of fulfilling their demands, strikers said.

LP Gas Traders' Cooperative Society Ltd held a discussion with Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) on Thursday over the country's ongoing LPG crisis before calling off their strike through a press release.

Earlier on Wednesday, the LPG traders had warned of ceasing the supply and marketing of the cooking gas across the country from Thursday if the energy regulatory commission does not fix fresh prices and the administration does not stop "harassment".

The traders demanded that the BERC immediately readjust LPG prices, increase distributor commissions from Tk 50 to Tk 80, and raise retailers' commissions from Tk 45 to Tk 75.

Separately, the Energy and Mineral Resources Division (EMRD) under the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources (MPEMR) sent a letter to the National Board of Revenue (NBR) on Thursday for necessary measures to restructure the tax framework by recognising LPG as a 'green fuel.'

On the same day, the EMRD sent another letter to the governor of Bangladesh Bank to take necessary action for ensuring that the commercial banks prioritise loan approvals and letter of credit (LC) applications for LPG imports. According to the letter to the NBR, nearly 98 per cent of LPG consumed in the country is imported by the private sector, serving both industrial and household needs.

Officials said the EMRD sent the letters to the NBR and the Bangladesh Bank governor responding to requests from the LPG Operators Association of Bangladesh (LOAB).

The LOAB on Wednesday had urged the government to reform the tax structure to stabilise the LPG market.

In a letter to the NBR, it asked for withdrawing the existing 7.5-percent VAT and 2.0-percent advance tax at the production stage and instead imposing a single 10-percent VAT at the import stage.

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