Member Secretary of the National Citizen Party (NCP) and Rangpur-4 MP Akhtar Hossain has raised concerns over the recent hike in liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) prices, urging the government to reconsider the increase and make it more affordable for the public.
Speaking during Tuesday’s parliamentary session under Rule 71, he said the sudden price hike has added pressure on ordinary citizens already dealing with the effects of a global fuel crisis driven by ongoing geopolitical tensions.
While acknowledging international factors behind the energy shortage, he questioned whether domestic issues such as artificial scarcity and market manipulation were also playing a role.
He noted that there is still a lack of clear information on what steps the government is taking to address these concerns.
Akhtar Hossain pointed out that although a broader discussion on the fuel crisis had been agreed upon in Parliament, the LPG price hike was implemented abruptly, leaving consumers with little time to prepare.
He said the sudden increase has caused significant disruption in daily life.
He emphasised that the impact is particularly severe for households and small businesses that rely on LPG for cooking and production activities.
According to him, many are struggling to continue their regular operations due to the higher costs.
Describing the increase as excessive, the lawmaker called on the government to reduce LPG prices to a more manageable level.
He also urged authorities to take strict action against hoarding and unfair practices by traders, which he believes are contributing to the problem.
Opposition lawmaker Akhtar stressed that addressing both global price pressures and domestic market irregularities will be crucial to stabilising LPG prices and easing the burden on consumers.