Dhaka, March 18 -- As the gas supply crisis worsens and legal connections remain tangled in bureaucratic red tape, a thriving syndicate continues to operate unchecked, providing illicit gas lines at exorbitant rates.

While authorities claim to be cracking down on illegal connections, evidence suggests that some groups are actively facilitating these unauthorised lines.

Experts argue that officials exaggerate system loss statistics to shield these gas theft networks, raising concerns about accountability and safety.

According to a 1996 law, the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) is allowing gas distribution company Titas to calculate a 2 percent system loss.

But the input-output deficit has increased several folds, meaning ...