Dhaka, April 9 -- Abdul Khalek, a resident of Mohammadpur in Dhaka, relies on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for cooking.

Long frustrated by persistent supply issues, he now faces further distress as prices continue to exceed government-fixed rates.

Even after a steep hike of Tk 387 in the price of a 12kg LPG cylinder, Khalek said he is unable to purchase gas at the official rate.

The sharp increase has already angered consumers, but the situation is worsened by what he described as ongoing "hide-and-seek" by retailers over availability.

"Now they cite war as the reason for the crisis. But even before that, gas was scarce. Shopkeepers charged whatever they wanted," Khalek said.

"Even after the government increased prices, we are not g...