The energy regulator will announce revised gas prices this week, Energy Adviser to the Prime Minister Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury said.

“Announcement on the revised prices may come in the next couple of days,” Chowdhury said on Saturday.

With this move, the government is going to hike prices for the third time since February last year.

Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission has been told to keep the revised price at a tolerable level, according to the PM’s energy affairs adviser.

Sources at BERC said, the revised prices will exclude the household and commercial connections and the announcement may be made end of this week.

BREC Member Abdul Aziz Khan told Bangla Tribune, “The government has decided to withdraw all taxes on gas after joining the club of liquefied natural gas (LNG) importers. We will announce the revised prices after receiving the NBR’s letter on the matter.”

After joining the club of liquefied natural gas (LNG) importers, Bangladesh moved to another round of gas price hike after revising it last year.

The country became the first LNG-importing nation in 2018 after the first shipment arrived from Qatar on Apr 24. The government expects to start supplying it to the national grid by this month.

Gas prices were revised up by an average of 22.70 percent in February last year with households hit with over a 50 percent monthly rise for stoves.

In March this year, gas transmission companies forwarded a proposal to increase prices by on an average 75 percent. They, however, did not propose to hike prices for household and commercial connections.
Following the proposals, the BERC held a series of public hearings over the issue in June this year.

The regulations require announcement of revised prices within 90 days after the hearing concludes.

Price (per cubic metre) after last year’s revision

Households are charged at a monthly rate in two categories — Tk 900 for single burner stove and Tk 950 for double burner stove, which was hiked by 50%.