shows an aerial view of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant
This photograph taken on September 25, 2026 shows an aerial view of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant near the Padma river at Ishwardi in Bangladesh's Pabna district. Bangladesh is preparing to switch on its first nuclear power plant, a long-delayed $13 billion Russian-backed project, promising relief from chronic electricity shortages -- even as some fear living beside it. Once fully operational, its two reactors are expected to supply more than 10 percent of electricity demand in the South Asian nation of 170 million people, which has been hit hard by the fuel crisis sparked by the conflict in the Middle East. Photo by Salahuddin Ahmed / AFP via Getty Images

The Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission has once again lifted the official price of cooking gas, setting the November retail rate for a 12kg liquefied petroleum gas cylinder at Tk 2,060. The Tk 223 rise took effect from 8 pm on 2 November and marks the second consecutive monthly adjustment by the regulator.

In October the same cylinder had already increased by Tk 252, moving from Tk 1,585 in September to Tk 1,837. The two successive changes mean the official price has climbed by Tk 475 in just two months, an increase of nearly 30 percent. BERC fixed the underlying retail price of privately marketed LPG at Tk 171.68 per kilogram, up from Tk 153.06 the previous month. At the same time, the price of autogas used in vehicles rose to Tk 91.95 per litre from Tk 84.62, while the consumer-level rate for a 12.5kg cylinder supplied by the state-owned company was adjusted to Tk 1,860.

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The commission attributed the latest revision to higher international benchmark prices. Saudi Aramco set its November contract price at $720 per tonne for propane and $780 per tonne for butane. Applying the standard 35:65 propane-butane blend produced an average contract price of $759 per tonne, $46.50 higher than in October. Shipping costs, trader premiums and the prevailing dollar exchange rate were also included in the final calculation that determined the new domestic rates.

Even after the official increase, many households continue to pay substantially more at the retail level. Market surveys in Dhaka and other cities show 12kg cylinders frequently selling between Tk 2,200 and Tk 2,500 because of tight supply and widespread overcharging. Private companies handle the large majority of LPG imports and distribution, while cylinders from the state-owned supplier remain limited in availability. As a result, most consumers have little choice but to buy from private retailers who often charge well above the regulated price.

The repeated rises are adding further strain to household budgets already under pressure from elevated food and essential costs. Millions of families depend on LPG for everyday cooking. Industry estimates indicate that roughly 80 percent of total LPG use is for domestic cooking, with the remaining share going to transport and commercial purposes. Lower- and middle-income households, which have limited capacity to absorb sudden fuel-cost increases, are feeling the impact most sharply.

BERC has revised LPG prices every month since April 2021 in order to reflect movements in global markets. While the pricing formula is intended to pass through international cost changes, observers note that weak enforcement of the official rate leaves consumers exposed to both regulated hikes and additional market premiums. As the new price begins to circulate, families and retailers will be watching whether improved supply can narrow the gap between the official rate and street prices, or whether the difference between the two continues to widen in the weeks ahead.

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