LP Gas Ltd, a company under Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC), had imported 450,000 LPG cylinders, most of which are supposed to have been scrapped but interestingly many cylinders are now available in the market, posing great safety risks for users.
“We have already invited a tender to purchase 27,000 new LPG cylinders of 26.6 litre water capacity fitted with valve and protection cap to replace expired and risky ones,” Fazlur Rahman Khan, general manager of LP Gas Ltd, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.
“We have also taken a decision to replace another 20,000 LPG cylinders,” he said.
The last date of tender submission is February 23, he added.
This decision was taken because of the risk of cylinder explosions which have substantially increased due to the widespread use of substandard cylinders.
“All cylinders will be replaced with new ones phase by phase. But because managing such a huge fund is difficult, we have taken initiatives to change 27,000 initially,” Fazlur said.
Also Read- Use of expired LPG cylinders on the rise, poses great risks
A BPC official wishing anonymity explained that the lack of government supervision and proper regulations coupled with an ever-increasing demand for LPG cylinders in the country had fueled the rampant use of cylinders that were mostly expired.
He said the LPG cylinders that are imported by the state-owned LP Gas Limited have the lifespan of 15 years as per the global standard.
Once expired, the cylinders must be replaced and disposed of to avoid leakage or other hazards – especially at the consumer end.
Moreover, the cylinders that enter Bangladesh are not properly checked for safety by the authorities concerned, which makes it easier for suppliers to flood the market with substandard cylinders.
Lack of awareness among the consumers make the matter worse, he added.
Although concern over this issue has been voiced several times, it came to light again after around 200 LPG cylinders exploded and caused a massive fire in an LPG depot in Bogra recently, owned by Padma oil distribution company.
The cylinders distributed by Padma as well as Meghna and Jamuna – all state-owned distribution companies that operate under the BPC – are very old and extremely unsafe to use.
Annual demand for LPG is 500,000 to 600,000 tonnes a year against a supply of only about 120,000 tonnes. BPC produces 20,000 tonnes of LPG a year, enough to fill 1.6 million cylinders with 12.5 kg of LPG each.
The gas is produced as a by-product at the Eastern Refinery in Chittagong and the Kailashtila gas field in Sylhet. The BPC has a one-fourth share in the country's LPG gas market.
A cylinder of BPC produced LPG is priced at Tk700 in the retail market.
Thursday, June 04, 2026
