The LPG Gas Business Cooperative Society Limited has announced a nationwide closure of all Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) outlets on October 15 and 16 (Thursday and Friday), demanding the implementation of a 7-point charter, including higher distributor commissions, uninterrupted gas supply, and an end to administrative harassment.
 
Md. Selim Khan, President of the association, announced the strike during a press conference at the National Press Club in Dhaka on Monday afternoon.
 
Issuing a stern warning, he stated, "If our grievances are not resolved within these two days, LPG sales across the country will be suspended indefinitely."
 
At the press conference, the business leaders outlined their 7-point charter of demands:
 
Increase the distributor commission to BDT 150 per cylinder or 7% of the retail price, considering inflated transport costs, warehouse rent, and licensing fees. 

Ensure that any price adjustments made by LPG companies within a month are routed and officially declared through the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC). 

Allow state initiatives or alternative companies to refill the hundreds of thousands of idle cylinders belonging to companies unable to maintain gas supplies. 

Ensure LPG operating companies clearly specify the actual sale price on their official invoices.

Provide fair transportation allowances to distributors who do not receive warehouse delivery directly from LPG companies. 

Stop police harassment and traffic fines regarding protective side-railings installed on delivery trucks and pickups. 

Halt "unreasonable and unethical" fines imposed by the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP) and mobile courts during enforcement drives. 

Justifying the commission hike, Selim Khan explained that BERC set the distributor commission at BDT 50 per cylinder five years ago. However, current operating costs—including BDT 50 for transport to warehouses, BDT 35 for unloading and retail delivery, and BDT 25 for overheads—total BDT 110 per cylinder. Factoring in a modest BDT 40 profit margin, the association is demanding a revised commission of BDT 150.
 
The association president also cited severe supply shortages due to LC opening difficulties, noting that only 6 to 7 companies are currently operating, leaving vast numbers of cylinders unutilized nationwide. Additionally, harassment by traffic police over transport vehicles and arbitrary raids by consumer rights officials—such as a recent cylinder seizure in Bagerhat—have pushed distributors to the brink.
 
Selim Khan mentioned contacting BERC Chairman Jalal Ahmed during the press briefing, stating that the chairman assured them the demands were under review for swift resolution. BERC officials, however, did not immediately comment on the matter.
 
Notably, LPG distributors previously halted sales on January 8 in protest of administrative crackdowns, withdrawing the strike later that afternoon following assurances from BERC.
 
This strike announcement comes amid widespread consumer complaints that LPG cylinders are being sold above government-fixed prices. On October 4, BERC hiked the price of a 12 kg cylinder by BDT 252 to BDT 1,837, though retailers across the capital continue to charge higher rates. Meanwhile, the LPG Operators Association of Bangladesh (LOAB) maintained that national LPG supply and imports remain sufficient, supporting legal action against retailers charging above the official rate.