The move to revise gas prices ahead of the election has been halted upon the prime minister’s intervention.
“The prime minister has instructed not to hike prices now,” State Minister for Power and Energy Nasrul Hamid said.
The decision came on Monday, after the Bangladesh Energy Regulation Commission (BERC) postponed a scheduled media conference to announce revised prices the previous day.
However, directives regarding a revision of gas distribution companies’ margin and some other issues are likely this week, said BERC Secretary Md Rezanur Rahman.
“Everyone is worried whether a price hike is advisable with the election knocking at the door,” he said.
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.
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.

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 were hiked by 50%.