The newly fixed gas tariff discriminates against new investors, as it compels them to pay 33 percent more in bills than existing ones, said Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun, executive chairman of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (Bida).

In a letter sent to the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) on April 15, Bida called for a tariff revision, warning that the move to hike prices could hurt the country's investment prospects and economic momentum.

"This discriminatory policy will discourage new investments," Chowdhury said in the letter. "Investors are already considering this decision unfair and have taken a stand against it."

The investment promotion agency said it does not oppose the government's plan to reduce subsidies. However, any such decisions should be transparent.

The letter also pointed to the timing of the announcement, which came just days after the Bangladesh Investment Summit 2025 was organised by Bida.

The event drew around 450 investors and business leaders from 40 countries, many of whom expressed interest in investing in Bangladesh, Bida said.

"Several investors signed MoUs and agreements to invest in the country. The announcement of a discriminatory gas price hike right after the summit will undoubtedly create negative sentiment among them," Chowdhury said, urging BERC to reconsider the decision in favour of an investment-friendly pricing model.

He also proposed organising a review and impact analysis workshop to evaluate the implications of the price hike.

Bida's concerns came after foreign stakeholders questioned the timing of the price hike, with the Foreign Investors' Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the European Union Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh expressing concern over the move.