LPG Logjam Leaves Autogas Stations Stranded Nationwide

Autogas stations across Bangladesh are facing a severe crisis amid an ongoing shortage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), with many outlets being forced to shut down due to irregular supply, station owners have said.

The Bangladesh LPG Autogas Station and Conversion Workshop Owners Association disclosed the situation at a press conference held on Saturday (January 10) at the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) auditorium.

Titled “Negative Impact of the LPG Crisis on the Transport Sector,” the association’s written statement was read out by its President, Md Sirajul Maula. General Secretary Md Hasin Parvez was also present at the briefing.

According to the statement, nearly 1,000 autogas stations across the country currently supply LPG to vehicles, with a combined monthly demand of around 15,000 tonnes. However, due to the lack of regular supply, most stations have effectively ceased operations. The disruption has directly affected more than 150,000 LPG-powered vehicles nationwide.

The association said vehicle owners and drivers are enduring severe hardship as they struggle to obtain fuel. In many cases, drivers are forced to travel from one station to another for hours without success. This has disrupted the transport system and negatively impacted daily life for the general public.

The statement further noted that Bangladesh consumes an average of about 140,000 tonnes of LPG per month, of which only 10 percent is used in the transport sector as autogas. Even this relatively small portion is not being supplied consistently. In this context, the association urged the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) to ensure uninterrupted monthly LPG supply in line with demand.

Leaders of the association warned that if the crisis persists, the LPG autogas sector—developed as an environmentally friendly and cost-effective alternative fuel—could collapse. They said prolonged station closures have made it nearly impossible for owners to pay staff salaries, service bank loans, and meet daily operational expenses.

At the press conference, the association placed six demands before the government to resolve the crisis, including an urgent call to normalize and ensure adequate LPG imports.

DBTech/CTO/EK/OR