Countrywide severe load-shedding fuels public anger

The country is facing a severe deterioration in its power situation due to declining electricity generation driven by gas shortages, with rural areas bearing the brunt of the crisis. Consumers in many regions are enduring extreme suffering, reporting blackouts lasting up to 16 to 18 hours a day. This prolonged absence of electricity has disrupted daily life, severely impacted education for students, and caused widespread distress among children, the elderly, and the sick amidst intense heat.

According to national grid data from Wednesday (August 12) electricity demand stood at 15,249 megawatts at 8am against a supply of 12,935 megawatts, resulting in a deficit of 2,314 megawatts. Earlier at 4am, the deficit reached 2,951 megawatts, while the nationwide shortfall peaked at 3,194 megawatts at 1am.

While urban centers experience occasional outages, rural communities are facing much higher deficits. Mymensingh recorded the highest supply shortfall at 30.57 percent based on Tuesday's data. In Gopalganj, where power cuts stretch up to 10 hours daily, the West Zone Power Distribution Company Limited (WZPDCL) has requested regular police patrols around its offices and substations, fearing backlash from frustrated consumers. Similar security requests have been made by the Rajshahi Rural Electricity Association for 14 substations, as well as by officials in Netrokona and Nilphamari's Domar upazila.

The crisis has hit production sectors hard. Irrigation for farming is severely hampered due to disrupted pumping schedules, while fish and poultry farmers face heavy losses. In coastal and riverine regions like Patuakhali, ice production for the ongoing hilsa fishing season has plummeted, driving up ice prices and increasing financial pressure on fishermen. In Khulna, shrimp farmers struggle to run aeration equipment during blackouts, and poultry farmers in Jashore report bird mortality alongside soaring fuel costs for backup generators.

Frustrated by unbearable heat and prolonged outages, angry residents blocked the Sylhet-Sunamganj highway at Tuker Bazar on Tuesday night. Sylhet Power Development Board Chief Engineer Imam Hossain stated that electricity is being distributed strictly in proportion to what is received from the national grid, assuring that load-shedding will decrease once supply improves.

With gas shortages crippling gas-fired power plants, the worsening energy crisis is ripping through agriculture, fisheries, and small businesses, creating mounting social tension and forcing power distribution authorities to seek police protection for their infrastructure.