Gas prices may go up 20pc from next month

After hike, domestic users will have to pay Tk 750 for double burners and Tk 700 for single burners a month

The Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) is planning to hike gas prices by an average of 20 per cent for consumers at all levels. The plans are in their final stage. After the hike, domestic users would have to pay Tk 750 every month instead of Tk. 650 for double burners, which is a 15 per cent hike in the price, AKM Monowar Hossain Akand, director of the BERC (gas), told The Independent. A payment of Tk. 700 has been proposed for single burners, up from the current Tk. 600, he said. Akand said the date of announcement of the new price is yet to be fixed. “Our acting chairman is talking to the Prime Minister’s Office to fix the date.”
He said the BERC’s acting chairman would go abroad in the first week of December. “There is a chance that the new prices would be effective from December if we get the PMO’s consent by mid-November,” he added.
The BERC official also said the declaration of new gas prices was being delayed as two posts of commissioner of BERC are currently vacant. Eight applications for the post of commissioner have been submitted to the power, energy and mineral resources ministry.
“We hope to have the new appointments very soon,” said BERC’s acting chairman Md Maksudul Haque.
He also said the energy regulator has already completed all formalities and paperwork to rejig the gas price following the public hearings they had conducted three months ago. “We may announce the decision anytime,” Haque added.
In August this year, the BERC held an eight-day public hearing on gas transmission tariff and price hike proposals, submitted by the state-owned gas transmission and distribution companies. The companies were: Titas  Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Ltd, Pashchimanchal Gas Company Ltd, Bakhrabad Gas Distribution Company Ltd, Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company Ltd, Jalalabad Gas Transmission and Distribution System Ltd and Sundarban Gas Company Ltd. According to their proposals, domestic users would have to pay Tk. 1,200 every month instead of Tk. 650 for double burners, an 85-per-cent hike. Besides, Tk. 1,100 had been proposed for single burners, up from the current Tk. 600.
Consumers using meter-based burners would have to pay Tk. 16.80 instead of Tk. 7 per cubic metre of gas, an increase of 140 per cent, according to the proposals.
The proposals also sought increases in the prices of gas used for commercial purposes in power plants and tea gardens. Fertiliser companies and industrial users would also face price hikes under the proposals. Gas Transmission Company Ltd proposed that the BERC should raise the gas transmission tariff from Tk. 0.1565 to Tk. 0.4213 per cubic metre. “We have examined their proposals and the feedback from the hearing. The price rejig has been carried out rationally,” said the acting chairman of BERC.

Gas prices may go up 20pc from next month

After hike, domestic users will have to pay Tk 750 for double burners and Tk 700 for single burners a month

The Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) is planning to hike gas prices by an average of 20 per cent for consumers at all levels. The plans are in their final stage. After the hike, domestic users would have to pay Tk 750 every month instead of Tk. 650 for double burners, which is a 15 per cent hike in the price, AKM Monowar Hossain Akand, director of the BERC (gas), told The Independent. A payment of Tk. 700 has been proposed for single burners, up from the current Tk. 600, he said. Akand said the date of announcement of the new price is yet to be fixed. Our acting chairman is talking to the Prime Ministers Office to fix the date. He said the BERCs acting chairman would go abroad in the first week of December. There is a chance that the new prices would be effective from December if we get the PMOs consent by mid-November, he added. The BERC official also said the declaration of new gas prices was being delayed as two posts of commissioner of BERC are currently vacant. Eight applications for the post of commissioner have been submitted to the power, energy and mineral resources ministry. We hope to have the new appointments very soon, said BERCs acting chairman Md Maksudul Haque. He also said the energy regulator has already completed all formalities and paperwork to rejig the gas price following the public hearings they had conducted three months ago. We may announce the decision anytime, Haque added. In August this year, the BERC held an eight-day public hearing on gas transmission tariff and price hike proposals, submitted by the state-owned gas transmission and distribution companies. The companies were: Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Ltd, Pashchimanchal Gas Company Ltd, Bakhrabad Gas Distribution Company Ltd, Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company Ltd, Jalalabad Gas Transmission and Distribution System Ltd and Sundarban Gas Company Ltd. According to their proposals, domestic users would have to pay Tk. 1,200 every month instead of Tk. 650 for double burners, an 85-per-cent hike. Besides, Tk. 1,100 had been proposed for single burners, up from the current Tk. 600. Consumers using meter-based burners would have to pay Tk. 16.80 instead of Tk. 7 per cubic metre of gas, an increase of 140 per cent, according to the proposals. The proposals also sought increases in the prices of gas used for commercial purposes in power plants and tea gardens. Fertiliser companies and industrial users would also face price hikes under the proposals. Gas Transmission Company Ltd proposed that the BERC should raise the gas transmission tariff from Tk. 0.1565 to Tk. 0.4213 per cubic metre. We have examined their proposals and the feedback from the hearing. The price rejig has been carried out rationally, said the acting chairman of BERC.