The price of diesel and kerosene in Bangladesh is comparatively lower than India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Nepal.
The average price of gasoline around the world is Tk 106.36 per litre, Tk 26.36 higher than Bangladesh’s price.
The retail price of diesel and kerosene in Bangladesh is at tk80 per litre, which is being sold in Kolkata at Tk 104 (Rs 90) per litre and Tk 114 (Rs 98.42) in New Delhi.
Pakistan is selling diesel and kerosene at Pakistani Rupees 142.62 per litre, while price in Sri Lanka at Sri Lankan Rupees 144 per litre and Nepal at Nepalese Rupees 112.39 per litre, according to a statistic issued on November 1.
It said per litre petrol is being sold in Kolkata at Tk 121, which is affected Bangladesh’s economy as fuel is being smuggled due to low price in Bangladesh.
So that the government has refixed the prices of diesel and kerosene as the price of fuel is rising in the international market.
Besides, Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) is giving subsidy of around Tk 20 crore per day as it sells diesel at Tk 13.01 per litre and furnace oil at Tk 6.21 per litre which are much less compared to the international market, said a press release.
The BPC has given subsidy of Tk 726.71 crore in October 2021, as it supplied various grades of petroleum products at lower prices, but its price went up in the international market. The BPC provided Tk 1,147.6 crore subsidy in diesel at during the last five months.
Apart from Bangladesh, many countries including the neighbouring India, are regularly refixing the fuel price to adjust with the global market, added the release.
International Energy Expert and Consultant Khandaker Abdus Saleq Sufi said that the Bangladesh government is giving huge subsidy in power and energy sector, talking to BSS.
“Bangladesh under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is graduated into middle income country and the economy of Bangladesh is becoming larger than previous period,” he said.
On November 1, 2021, the market price of diesel in India was Tk 124.41 while in Bangladesh, the price of diesel was Tk 65 per liter, which is Tk 59.41 less.
Considering the overall situation, the government has refixed Tk 80 per litre for diesel and kerosene at Tk 65 per litre.
The last time price of petroleum products was refixed by reducing price through a gazette notification on 24 April 2016.
