The government is set to amend the Bangladesh Gas Act 2010, nearly doubling the fines for illegal gas use and introducing provisions to penalise property owners -- including land, flat or building owners -- for illegal usage.

Fines for illegal household gas use -- currently between Tk 10,000 and Tk 20,000 -- will be increased to a maximum of Tk 40,000, as per the draft of Bangladesh Gas (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026, which is set to be placed before the advisory council meeting today for approval.

Commercial users will face fines of up to Tk 80,000, up from the existing Tk 40,000.

For industrial users, captive power plants and CNG refuelling stations, the maximum fine will rise to Tk 4 lakh from Tk 2 lakh.

Meanwhile, irregularities in the power and fertiliser sectors will attract fines of up to Tk 10 lakh, double the current ceiling of Tk 5 lakh.

The draft ordinance has retained the imprisonment provisions unchanged, ranging from six months to five years.

A new paragraph added to the offences and penalties chapter states that if gas is used illegally -- either directly or with the assistance or instigation of a contractor or any other person -- the owner of the premises where the offence is committed, along with any involved employee of the gas company, contractor or other individual, will be deemed offenders.

According to the draft, the use of gas by non-metered consumers with more stoves than the approved number, as well as gas consumption by metered consumers exceeding the approved hourly load, will be treated as offences.

In formulating rules under the ordinance, the government has curtailed the role of the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC).

While the Bangladesh Gas Act 2010 required the government to frame rules through a gazette notification in consultation with the regulator, the new ordinance omits any reference to BERC’s involvement.