Dhaka, Jan 05: Bangladesh today hiked fuel prices by an average 13.75 per cent due to the internationally high price of petroleum products.

"It will have a minor affect in the industrial sector and transport sector," state minister for energy Mosharraf Hossain told reporters. "The price rise became inevitable due to high price of petroleum in the international market."

Some petrol stations in Dhaka stopped business as soon as the news of the hike was announced, claiming they needed to weigh the impacts of the price hike.

The price of octane climbed from 30 taka (0.51 usd) per litre to 35 taka, while petrol added five taka to 33 per litre. Diesel added 17.6 5 per cent, from 17 taka to 20 taka.

The price of kerosene remained unchanged at 17 taka per litre.

The last such fuel price hike was in December 2001.

Hossain said that the hike would help check the smuggling of petroleum products to india, where they are more expensive than in Bangladesh.
Bureau Report