SA Shofiee, Sylhet :
Frequent load shedding and a rise in temperature are disrupting the daily lives of Sylhet city residents and the local economy. Sylhet city has been experiencing intense heat and severe load shedding for the past few days. Experts attribute the situation to an increase in demand and a significant shortfall in power supply.
The relevant authority’s decision to provide uninterrupted power supply to the industrial areas has resulted in frequent power outages in commercial and residential areas, according to experts. On top of that, some power stations in Chattogram, including a station in Sylhet’s Bibiana, have stopped power generation. Power Division officials said that the load-shedding situation will not improve until these stations are operational.
Officials at the Sylhet electricity office said that they have to provide load-shedding for one-third of the day due to a supply crunch. According to sources, electricity demand in the Sylhet division was 207 MW on Saturday. In contrast, 144 MW of electricity was supplied from the national grid.
The situation in Sylhet district was also the same. The electricity demand in the district was 146 MW on the day, whereas only 101 MW was supplied from the national grid.
Bangladesh Power Development Board Sylhet Region Chief Engineer Mohammad Abdul Qadir, “Load shedding is occurring due to an increase in demand. Officials have nothing to do. If power is supplied according to demand, the duration of load shedding will be reduced.”
“Several central power generation plants in Chattogram division, including one in Bibiana of Sylhet division, are closed. The pressure of reduced production is falling on the national grid. If the production increases, the situation will improve,” he said.
Meanwhile, load shedding is disrupting the water supply in Sylhet. Officials of Sylhet City Corporation said that it is not possible to run the pump continuously due to a lack of uninterrupted power supply. However, efforts are being made by the city corporation to normalise water supply, he added.
Mohammad Amjad Hossain, a resident of the city’s Payra area, said, “Public life is being disrupted due to load shedding. Effective measures should be taken to stop the power outages.”
Businessmen in Sylhet are also bearing the brunt of the power outage. Load shedding occurs frequently during the day in commercial areas, including Jindabazar and Bandarbazar. Traders have suffered losses. They have to keep their business running by relying on generators.
President of Sylhet Metropolitan Business Union Welfare Council Abdur Rahman Ripon said, “Power outages are taking place during business hours. Big markets can keep businesses running through generators, but most shop owners do not have generators. Some run generators, but the losses are more than the profits.