Prices of all fuel oils have been increased by Tk 5 per litre, with effect from Thursday (Nov 10) midnight, according to an official announcement. Following the latest raise in the prices of petroleum fuels, people will now have to buy per-litre diesel and kerosene at Tk 56, petrol Tk 86, octane Tk 89 and furnace oil Tk 55. This is a second hike to fuel-oil prices within less than two months, as the government`s finance and energy authorities speak of adjusting price indices to rates on the international market. The last raise was given on September 18, also with effect from midnight, which provoked criticisms even from within the ruling party rank and from its allies. “The decision on the latest fuel-price increase was taken silently in a meeting in the evening at the Energy Division,” said a competent source. The decision was quickly followed up with a notification from Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) at night. Incidentally, the oil-price rise took place a day after finance minister AMA Muhith said compressed natural gas (CNG) price would be raised once again to adjust with oil prices. In the Sep 18 raise, furnace-oil price was enhanced to Tk 50 a litre from Tk 42, diesel and kerosene to Tk 51 from 46, petrol Tk 80 from Tk 75 and octane to Tk 84 from 79.
