State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid yesterday said the price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) must be reduced soon.

A large number of people especially lower middle class people use LPG for cooking, so LPG price would have to be brought down, he added

 “We have undertaken initiatives to ensure energy supply to all at an affordable cost,” he told while inaugurating the South Asia LPG Summit 2019 in the capital.

The state minister said the government has undertaken an initiative to strengthen the state-run LP Gas Limited in order to neutralize monopoly business of the private sector.

He said the use of LP gas increased in recent years and the government gave permission to 60 companies for importing of LPG initially.

Referring to cylinder explosions in the country, he said blasts have been occurred due to lack of awareness.

A total of 80 companies and organizations, including 18 from host Bangladesh, participated at the summit.

BPC Chairmen M Shamsur Rahman, Director General of Fire Service and Civil Defence Brigadier General Ali Ahmed Khan, President of LPG Operates Association of Bangladeshi Azam J Chowdhury, President of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries M Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin and Deputy Managing Director of World LGP Association Michael Kelly were present, a press statement said.