Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN) - The government has raised the compressed natural gas (CNG) price by BDT 5.0 to BDT 30 per unit (1.0 cubic metre) from BDT 25 per unit, officials said.
The Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) announced the new price, effective from Tuesday saying the hike was necessary in view of the increased prices of petroleum products.
The decision to raise CNG price came within a day of the petroleum price hike which has been increased within the range between 6.32 percent and 19.04 percent by an executive order.
The government raised fuel prices by BDT 5.0 per litre for diesel, kerosene, petrol and octane and BDT 8.0 per litre for furnace oil Sunday.
Meanwhile, the state-run Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) increased the fare of CNG-driven bus and minibus by BDT 0.05 per kilometer and CNG-driven auto-rickshaw by BDT 0.14 per km effective from Tuesday.
The bus and minibus fare has been increased to BDT 1.60 per km from the previous BDT 1.55 in Dhaka following the hike.
For Chittagong the fare for bus and minibus has been increased to BDT 1.50 per km from the previous BDT 1.45.
Fare for CNG-driven auto-rickshaw has been fixed at BDT 7.64 per km from the previous BDT 7.50.
This is, however, the second hike in fare of transports in the past four months following the hike of petroleum products and CNG prices.
The Awami League-led alliance government increased the CNG price to BDT 25 per cubic metre from BDT 16.75 once before on May 13.
BBN/SSR/AD-20Sept11-11:07 am (BST)