A severe shortage of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) in the hill district of Bandarban has left consumers at the mercy of unscrupulous traders, who are allegedly charging nearly double the government-fixed rate for 12kg cylinders. Exploiting the supply crunch, dealers are forcing households to purchase brand-new cylinders alongside gas refills, pushing essential cooking fuel out of reach for many families.
While the government-stipulated retail price for a 12kg LPG cylinder stands at 1,850 BDT, merchants across Bandarban town are demanding between 3,300 and 3,500 BDT. Retailers are systematically refusing to exchange empty cylinders for refilled units, compelling buyers to pay an extra 1,500 BDT for new containers.
On Monday, visits to several LPG retail outlets across Bandarban town revealed padlocked storefronts with interior lights burning and stockpiles of cylinders visible inside. Local residents alleged that traders keep their premises officially closed to evade regulatory scrutiny while quietly conducting lucrative transactions behind shut doors.
The crisis has severely disrupted daily life, leaving families unable to prepare meals. Imma Marma, a resident of Madhyampara in Bandarban Sadar, shared her family’s distress after their domestic gas ran out on Sunday afternoon. Her husband contacted multiple distributors across town, but every vendor refused to accept their empty cylinder.
Traders demanded 3,500 BDT for a new cylinder package, an exorbitant amount her family could not afford. As a result, no food could be cooked at their home for two consecutive days. Marma explained that she had to put her three-and-a-half-year-old son and seven-and-a-half-month-old infant daughter to bed with plain bread, whilst her eldest daughter, an eighth-grade student, attended school on an empty stomach.
Interviews with several local LPG distributors and retailers confirmed the exploitative practices. Speaking on condition of anonymity, vendors acknowledged that they were not refilling empty cylinders and were charging up to 3,500 BDT for complete new sets, though a few agreed to settle at 3,300 BDT.
Rakib, owner of M O Enterprise in Ujanipara, cited severe supply chain disruptions from major brands like Bashundhara. He stated that customers have no choice but to purchase new cylinders at an inflated cost due to the absence of standard refill stock. Similarly, Osman, a supplier representing Evergreen Enterprise, noted that their inventory is limited exclusively to Independent’s ‘i-Gas’ brand, preventing them from refilling cylinders from other distributors. Consumers are now urging local administration and consumer rights authorities to intervene immediately and enforce government price caps.
