Energy Secretary Mohammad Saiful Islam is set to hold a meeting with all stakeholders concerned following an abrupt shortage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders and an abnormal surge in prices across the country.

The decision was taken at a meeting on Saturday evening at the residence of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, attended by officials from the Energy Ministry, Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) and other relevant agencies.

The meeting will be held at 4:00pm on Sunday at the Energy Division of the Secretariat. LPG importers, bottling companies, suppliers, dealers and representatives of concerned government offices are expected to attend, a senior ministry official said.

Meanwhile, amid the ongoing supply crunch and sharp price hike, the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) is scheduled to announce the new LPG and autogas prices for January on Sunday, as per its pre-announced timeline. The prices will be disclosed at a press briefing at 3:00pm and are usually made effective from 6:00pm the same day.

Officials said Saturday’s informal meeting at the adviser’s residence discussed the current stock situation, the reasons behind the sudden price spike and possible corrective measures.

After hearing the views of stakeholders at Sunday’s meeting, the government will decide on its next steps to bring prices under control, an official present at Saturday’s meeting said.

Over the past few days, the price of the widely used 12kg LPG cylinder has reportedly risen by up to Tk 1,000 above the government-fixed rate in some areas. Consumers allege that even at higher prices, cylinders are not readily available in many localities.

Retailers blame dealers for the price hike, dealers point fingers at suppliers, while suppliers cite supply shortages as the main reason.

Adviser Fouzul Kabir Khan said he is trying to clearly understand the issue. “Today we will discuss among ourselves, including the energy secretary and other concerned officials,” he said, adding that Saturday’s meeting was not a formal one.

He noted that the discussion focused on issues such as products not arriving despite letters of credit (LCs) being opened, along with shipping and supply chain constraints.

For December, BERC had fixed the price of a 12kg LPG cylinder at Tk 1,253. However, the same cylinder is reportedly being sold for Tk 1,800 to Tk 2,200, or even more, in different parts of Dhaka and elsewhere.

In response, BERC has issued a letter to LPG sector association LOAB, directing all entities involved in storage, bottling, distribution and retail sales to comply with the fixed prices at every level.

BERC Chairman Jalal Ahmed said LPG imports in December were lower than usual, creating a supply gap, while a significant increase in freight and transportation costs also contributed to the price hike.

Consumer rights groups, however, allege that although BERC is responsible for both fixing prices and ensuring their implementation, it has failed to do so effectively. They also claim that despite laws making overpricing a punishable offence, enforcement remains weak.