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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| South Asians face fuel price rise | South Asians face fuel price rise |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Bangladesh and Pakistan have both sharply raised fuel prices again as the cost of crude oil continues to soar. | Bangladesh and Pakistan have both sharply raised fuel prices again as the cost of crude oil continues to soar. |
| Diesel and kerosene are up by 37.5% a litre in Bangladesh, while the price of a cylinder of cooking gas is up by 66%. | Diesel and kerosene are up by 37.5% a litre in Bangladesh, while the price of a cylinder of cooking gas is up by 66%. |
| In Pakistan, natural gas prices rose by up to 31% on Monday, a day after petrol and diesel prices went up by 10%. | In Pakistan, natural gas prices rose by up to 31% on Monday, a day after petrol and diesel prices went up by 10%. |
| Rising fuel costs are contributing to higher food prices around the world. Millions of the poorest people in South | |
| Asia have been badly hit. | |
| Over the past year Bangladeshis have already seen the price of staple foods like rice double - and the government is appealing for global action to curb surging crude oil prices. | Over the past year Bangladeshis have already seen the price of staple foods like rice double - and the government is appealing for global action to curb surging crude oil prices. |
| Analysts say the unpopular price rises could curb demand - and in turn help to bring down the oil price. | Analysts say the unpopular price rises could curb demand - and in turn help to bring down the oil price. |
| Hunger in Bangladesh | Hunger in Bangladesh |
| The BBC's Mark Dummett in Dhaka says the latest rises are a further blow to Bangladeshis, 40% of whom live on less than $1 a day. | The BBC's Mark Dummett in Dhaka says the latest rises are a further blow to Bangladeshis, 40% of whom live on less than $1 a day. |
| He says with diesel going up to 80 US cents a litre, the cost of transporting food and other goods around the country will become much more expensive. | He says with diesel going up to 80 US cents a litre, the cost of transporting food and other goods around the country will become much more expensive. |
| Fuel prices were last put up in April - but the government said it had no choice but to increase them again, given the recent global oil price rises. | Fuel prices were last put up in April - but the government said it had no choice but to increase them again, given the recent global oil price rises. |
| Otherwise, funding of health, education and government services would have been cut, the finance minister said. | Otherwise, funding of health, education and government services would have been cut, the finance minister said. |
| Even so, he said it would still spend almost $1.5bn on subsidising fuel during the next year. | Even so, he said it would still spend almost $1.5bn on subsidising fuel during the next year. |
| It is also committed to help feeding millions of poor Bangladeshis who can no longer afford to eat three meals a day, our correspondent says. | It is also committed to help feeding millions of poor Bangladeshis who can no longer afford to eat three meals a day, our correspondent says. |
| The government is describing it as an international crisis. | The government is describing it as an international crisis. |
| "We think rich countries, oil-producing countries and the United Nations should deal with the issue urgently," deputy energy minister M Tamim told the AFP news agency. | "We think rich countries, oil-producing countries and the United Nations should deal with the issue urgently," deputy energy minister M Tamim told the AFP news agency. |
| Inflation | Inflation |
| For Pakistanis the rise in the price of petrol was the fifth in four months. | For Pakistanis the rise in the price of petrol was the fifth in four months. |
| A litre of petrol now costs 75.69 Pakistani rupees ($1.11), compared with 53.70 in February. | A litre of petrol now costs 75.69 Pakistani rupees ($1.11), compared with 53.70 in February. |
| Diesel is now 49.05 a litre and a kilogram of compressed natural gas, which many people in South Asia use for cooking, costs 52 rupees. | Diesel is now 49.05 a litre and a kilogram of compressed natural gas, which many people in South Asia use for cooking, costs 52 rupees. |
| Soaring oil and food prices have pushed inflation in Pakistan to its highest level in more than 30 years. | Soaring oil and food prices have pushed inflation in Pakistan to its highest level in more than 30 years. |
| Many poor and middle income people there are also struggling as prices soar. | Many poor and middle income people there are also struggling as prices soar. |
| Acting Petroleum Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said different prices would be charged for gas, depending on how much consumers used. | Acting Petroleum Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said different prices would be charged for gas, depending on how much consumers used. |
| Mr Qureshi said the formula meant that nearly 91% of the total 5.4 million domestic gas consumers in Pakistan would not be affected by the price rise. | Mr Qureshi said the formula meant that nearly 91% of the total 5.4 million domestic gas consumers in Pakistan would not be affected by the price rise. |