Taking the opportunity of lack of government control, a section of dishonest dealers have enhanced the prices ahead of the Ramadan.

Sources in the district administration said there are 107 dealers of LP gas in Jessore. Of them, 35 are of Jamuna, 40 of Padma and 32 of Meghna oil companies.

They have evolved a unique way to realise more money from buyers. Instead of selling cylinders directly to buyers, they have appointed agents, who charge prices at will but are not accountable to any authorities. The dealers take a share of the enhanced price, some buyers alleged while talking to this correspondent.

On the other hand, the agents tell buyers that the dealers charge more prices from them, taking the advantage of more demand and short supply.

As Jessore is still out of the pipeline gas supply network, people, mostly in the town, are dependent on gas cylinders.

Sources seeking anonymity said that distributors of different companies at a recent meeting formed a cartel and decided to raise the prices.

Agents charge Tk 620 to Tk 640 for a cylinder of Klean company, Tk 600 to Tk 650 instead of Tk 580 for Basundhara, Tk 560 to Tk. 600 against Tk 520 for Totalgaz and Tk 580 to Tk 600 for a cylinder of Jamuna. All these were sold at between Tk 520 and Tk 580 only five days back, buyers said.

When asked, the distributors said the price of LP gas has been enhanced due to rise in prices of oil and gas in the international market. Some of them also blamed high price of US dollar for this.