Over the past week, prominent brand dealer points—such as Bashundhara, Omera, I-Gas, and Dubai-Bangla—have shuttered with locked gates due to an acute shortage of supply, leaving flat-dwelling garment workers and middle-class residents unable to cook. Although official retail prices stood around Taka 1,650 to Taka 1,700 previously, unscrupulous traders have exploited the vacuum by hoarding remaining stock and charging exorbitant rates between Taka 2,200 and Taka 2,600 per 12kg cylinder, far surpassing government-fixed revisions.

Local residents like Saidur Rahman and low-income workers have urged immediate administrative market monitoring to curb syndicate profiteering and restore normal fuel distribution for households lacking alternative firewood facilities.