B Mirror Report: Iqbal Hassan Mahmood today told the Jatiya Sangsad that the government has strengthened monitoring and enforcement measures to ensure Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders are sold at fixed prices and to prevent artificial shortages.

Responding to a question from lawmaker Md. Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, the minister said the Energy and Mineral Resources Division and the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission have taken several initiatives.

He said district administrations have been directed to conduct mobile court drives, while the Cabinet Division and Ministry of Home Affairs have been asked to take necessary steps, including enforcing legal actions through law enforcement agencies.

LPG operators, in coordination with the LPG Operators Association of Bangladesh and BERC, have also been instructed to sell LPG at government-fixed prices. The minister said mobile court drives are ongoing, with fines and temporary closures imposed on businesses involved in hoarding or irregularities.

He added that the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection has intensified market monitoring and is conducting regular drives to ensure compliance.

Highlighting supply challenges, the minister said about 98.67 percent of the country’s LPG depends on imports. Amid ongoing Middle East tensions, the government is closely monitoring imports to maintain stability.

Import data is being regularly reviewed through the ASYCUDA World system under the National Board of Revenue, and any irregularities are promptly addressed.

The minister reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring fair pricing and uninterrupted LPG supply for consumers nationwide.