The government has issued a series of directives to district administrators (DCs) to prevent the sale of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders at prices above those set by the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC).
In a bid to prevent the crisis, the government also warned that legal action would be taken against those found charging more than the regulated rates.
Jahid Ur Rahman, the Prime Minister’s Adviser on Information and Broadcasting, disclosed the decision at a regular press briefing on government activities at the Secretariat on Tuesday.
He said the Energy Division had held an online meeting with all district administrators to review the supply and distribution of LPG across the country.
During the meeting, officials issued several instructions aimed at strengthening market monitoring and overseeing the LPG supply chain.
Under the directives, each district administrator must compile a comprehensive list of all LPG distributors and dealers operating in their respective districts.
They must also collect information on the quantities of LPG supplied by operators to franchises, master franchises, distributors and dealers.
Detailed information about the individuals and organisations involved must be gathered as far as possible.
District administrators have also been instructed to meet LPG distributors and dealers in their districts without delay to assess the actual situation regarding supply, distribution and marketing.
The government has stressed the need to collect information at every stage of the LPG supply chain to ensure that the movement of cylinders can be traced and verified.
Any significant discrepancies between the quantities reported by operators, franchises or distributors and those actually received by dealers at the local level must be identified separately.
If the collected information reveals an unusual shortage of LPG in any area, irregularities in the supply chain or substantial discrepancies in supply volumes between operators and dealers, the findings must be reported to the Energy Division and other relevant authorities.
Jahid Ur Rahman said the government planned to consolidate information received from the districts and establish an integrated database covering the LPG supply chain, from operators to dealers.
The initiative is expected to help the authorities monitor LPG supplies more effectively in the future and identify irregularities in distribution.
The directives come as the government seeks to strengthen oversight of the LPG market and ensure that cylinders are sold at prices fixed by BERC.
Authorities have warned that legal action will be taken against individuals and businesses selling LPG above the prescribed rates.