Ensure uninterrupted power supply

Over the past few days, severe load shedding has been causing extreme distress to people across Dhaka and the rest of the country. In many areas, there has been no electricity for 12 to 14 hours, both day and night. The scorching heat is leaving people gasping for relief, and work in offices and government institutions is being severely disrupted. Primary schools remain open, but children are unable to attend classes due to the lack of electricity. A sense of unrest and paralysis has spread across the country due to this power crisis.

According to news reports published today, Wednesday, September 11, the frequent load shedding has not only reached unbearable levels for the public but is also seriously damaging the country's economy. Even in divisional cities like Dhaka, electricity is unavailable for several hours during the day. But why this sudden increase in load shedding? The power department states that the Summit LNG terminal has been closed for three months, resulting in a reduction in gas supply, which in turn has lowered electricity production. Additionally, private power plants are reducing their output due to unpaid bills, worsening the situation.

As per reports, at 5 p.m. yesterday, Tuesday, electricity production stood at 12,444 megawatts, against a demand of 14,600 megawatts, leaving a shortfall of 2,059 megawatts. Due to the gas shortage, electricity production dropped by about 5,000 megawatts. The country’s maximum electricity generation capacity is 27,000 megawatts, with gas-based power plants having a capacity of around 11,000 megawatts. To meet this demand, 2.2 billion cubic feet of gas is required daily, while 1.3 billion cubic feet is enough to manage the situation reasonably well. However, due to the closure of the Summit LNG terminal, daily gas supply has dropped by 600 million cubic feet. Yesterday, only 850 million cubic feet of gas was provided for electricity generation.

Because of the lack of gas, the cost of producing electricity using fuel oil has increased, leading to the shutdown of three power plants in Khulna, resulting in the loss of approximately 670 megawatts of electricity. Following recent political changes, a 115-megawatt power plant has been shut down since August 18, and a 330-megawatt plant has been closed since August 28. Another 225-megawatt power plant has been non-operational for a year. Meanwhile, Gautam Adani has written a letter to the chief advisor of Bangladesh's interim government, Dr. Muhammad Yunus, requesting the immediate payment of $800 million owed for electricity bills.

This information was reported by The Economic Times of India yesterday. In the letter, Adani states, "The lenders are putting pressure on us as we have fulfilled our commitment to Bangladesh. I kindly request your intervention to ensure the swift release of the $800 million owed to us by the Bangladesh Power Development Board. We request that the pending amounts be paid along with the monthly bills."

Given the current circumstances, it seems that the frequency of load shedding may increase further. The country appears to be entering a prolonged power crisis. However, if this disruption in electricity supply continues, the nation's economy, along with the political situation, could become further complicated. Many are already raising questions. The general public may not fully understand the logic or the real situation. Regardless, to maintain stability in the country, power supply must be ensured at all costs. At the same time, the public must recognize that the current government has only been in power for a short time and has not yet been able to properly organize the institutions. Many irregularities and corruptions from the previous government still exist. Considering the overall situation of the country, the public needs to be a bit more patient as well.