Desk Report:

Titas Gas has increased the prepaid meter fare from Tk 100 to Tk 200 without any prior notice. The sudden increase in meter fares without any prior notice creates dissatisfaction among customers. Titus Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited has given its statement in this regard.

In a notification sent from the public relations branch of Titus on Monday, it is said that considering the life of each prepaid meter for 10 years, its price, installation, web system, meter and server maintenance charges, etc., the cost of each meter is about Tk 25,000. Titus Gas Company has arranged these meters by taking loans.

The sector is being coordinated by collecting monthly rent for the convenience of the customers without taking the total cost of the meter together. According to the recent decision of the government, the monthly rent of residential prepaid meters of all gas distribution companies under Petrobangla has been revised to Tk 200 from January 2024.

The notification also said that for the convenience of customers, the government has pre-fixed the price of residential gas at only Tk 18 per cubic meter. But in 2023, the combined price of gas produced in the country and imported LNG is much higher than 18 taka per cubic meter on average. That is why, the government has to pay subsidy against every cubic meter of gas in the residential sector. Therefore, the increase in gas prices in the residential sector is inevitable. Titas gas authority has asked for everyone’s cooperation on this matter.