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Low income group suffers due to steep rise in LPG price

Quamrul Islam Rubaiyat, Thakurgaon
The price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) has seen a steep rise during the last two months, much to the worry of consumers, especially lower middle class people in Thakurgaon and Panchagarh districts.
Locals find the situation as an added burden on their finances as they are seriously dependent on the fuel for cooking.
A LPG cylinder of Jamuna, Boshundhara, Total and Kleen Heat is selling at Tk 1,650 to Tk 1,700 in local markets although it sold at Tk 1,350 in the first week of January this year, market sources said.
Soon the increased by Tk 70 and sold atTk 1420.
In the second week of February the price increased to aroundTk 1500.
Lastly on March 1, the price increased again and now an LPG cylinder selling for Tk 1,650 to Tk 1,700 in local markets.
During a visit to an LPG cylinder dealer's shop in the town on Saturday afternoon, this correspondent saw that Shakila Yasmin, 28, a housewife residing at Hallpara in Thakurgaon town, came to get a cylinder filled with LPG but returned with her empty cylinder as she was unaware of the sudden price hike.
"I have brought Tk 1500 but now the price has reachedTk 1700," she said.
Biplop Kumer Mohanta, lecture of a private college in Thakurgaon, said he has to take alternative way to cook as the price of LPG cylinder is too high.
Ahsan Habib Alamgir, dealer of Total and Jamuna LPG cylinder in Thakurgaon, said the company increased the rate as the price in the international market is high.
"Common people have become helpless as the price of essential commodities including LPG cylinder is increasing without proper reason.
The government should strengthen market monitoring system immediately for the sake of protecting interests of common people," said Enamul Haque, member secretary of Thakurgaon district unit of Consumers Association of Bangladesh.
Private companies are increasing the price according to their wish as the supply of Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation's LPG cylinders by government-run companies including Padma and Meghna is too inadequate, said.
Besides, the cylinders often contain less than stipulated 12kg of gas while the cylinders are selling at different shops without legal
permission, he added.
Nezarat Deputy Collector (NDC) of Thakurgaon Aslam Mollah said only20-40 cylinders, each priced Tk 850, were allotted in each load after one or two months for the district.
Due to high prices of LPG, a good number of householders have started using electric heaters for cooking and it adds to the already existing pressure on electricity supply.
In Panchagarh, the LPG consumers coming to buy LPG at dealers shop also expressed deep frustration due to abnormal price hike.
Shafiqul Alam, a dealer of Jamuna LPG cylinder in Panchagarh, said sale of
LPG cylinder has dropped by half during the last couple of months due to the price hike.
A number of locals are using firewood for cooking.
However, many people, especially those who live in rented houses, have no alternative to using LPG as house owners often object to tenants' using wood burners for cooking.
Md Mamunur Rashid, deputy marketing officer of Kleen Heat Gas Company for Bogra region, told this correspondent over cell phone, "The private companies have increased the price as the international market price of LPG has risen due to Middle East unrest."