Speaking on the last day of the eight-day public hearing on the issue, BERC member Md Maqsudul Haque said as the prices of essential commodities have increased, the gas price might go up too.
However, the increase will be approved only after careful evaluation, he added.
BERC Chairman AR Khan echoed Maqsudul’s remark. “The prices will not be increased based on speculations. The commission will consider the idea rationally and make a decision after necessary calculations.”
Asked when the new gas price may come into effect, the BERC chairman said the commission would make its decision in 90 days.
The hearing took place at BERC headquarters at Kawran Bazar, Dhaka and was attended by several gas transmission and distribution companies.
Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Mineral Corporation, better known as Petrobangla, proposed a 65.45% increase, asking to increase bulk gas price from Tk6.29 per cubic metre to Tk10.29 on weighted average.
In the proposal, Petrobangla said as the government imposed a fixed 55% supplementary duty and value-added tax on the gas purchased from international oil companies, the price of said gas increased from TK4.98 to Tk10.91 per cubic metre, which is a valid reason to increase gas price at bulk level.
Earlier, the six gas distribution companies under Petrobangla asked for a 94.89% increase and placed a proposal to raise the retail price from Tk6.10 per cubic metre to Tk11.89 on weighted average.
On the other hand, Gas Transmission Company Limited (GTCL), the lone gas transmission company under Petrobangla, placed a proposal to increase gas transmission price from Tk0.1565 to Tk0.3665 per cubic metre.
BERC will fix the gas transmission and distribution prices considering the increase at bulk level.
However, the BERC technical evaluation committee rejected the price hike proposals placed by most of the companies during the hearing.
They observed that as most of the companies were making profit, there was no need to increase the prices.
Prof Dr Shamsul Alam, energy adviser of Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB), strongly opposed the price hike proposals yesterday, saying there was no logic behind increasing the prices just because of increased supplementary duty and value-added tax.
“The companies undertook many projects which have yet to be implemented. But they want to raise the gas prices to cover the cost of those projects.”
He further said if BERC took the proposals placed by Petrobangla and its companies in consideration, the price hike would be unrealistic.
Addressing the hearing, former Buet professor Nurul Islam said the BERC should be given the authority to fix the bulk gas price because it has been successfully fixing the price of gas and electricity since 2008.
For the development of gas sector, the commission formed Gas Development Fund and Energy Security Fund, garnering people’s confidence.
Nurul further commented that the government should make amendment in the BERC Act 2003 and give the commission the power to fix the bulk price of gas.
Friday, June 05, 2026
