Our Correspondent, Tangail

Frequent load shedding has turned the life of Tangail people unbearable in hot weather condition and paralysed business operations for the last one week.

Production in the mills and industries has also been badly hit by the disruption of power supply.

The authorities blamed shortage of supply against the demand behind the situation and they also said that such a situation will prevail for the next one week.

Kaniz Fatema, a housewife of registrypara area in Tangail town, said, “Our lives have become miserable due to frequent power cuts. Due to power outage at the midnight, we can’t sleep for hot temperature.”

Abdul Malek of Biswas Betka area in the town said, “My daughter’s SSC exams are ensuing but she is struggling to take preparation due to frequent power cuts.”

Saiful Islam of Akurtakurpara area in the town said, “My children could not prepare their school assignments in time due to the regular power outage.”

Ahmedul Haque of Basail said, “We are getting electricity only for 4 to 5 hours in 24 hours.”

Nizam Uddin of Charabari area in Sadar upazila said power outage has become a regular problem in his area for the last couple of weeks.

“We are suffering a lot as it happens eight to ten times a day.”

“We hope that the authorities will do something to lessen our sufferings,” he added.

Although the government recently has brought all upazilas in the district under hundred percent electrification, frequent power outage is a regular matter in the rural areas, sources said.

Tangail Palli Bidyut Samity supplies electricity to seven upazilas in the district-- Sadar, Delduar, Mirzapur, Nagarpur, Basail, Sakhipur and Kalihati --and also partially in Chouhali upazila of Sirajganj. The Samity gets electricity from Tangail and Kabirpur grids of the Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB).

“The supply has been less than the demand from August 28,” said Abu Hanif Miah, general manager of Tangail Palli Bidyut Samity.

The PGCB, however, assured that the situation will be normal after the production increases within the next seven days, he said.

“We are sincerely sorry for the temporary inconveniences of our honorable clients/customers amid the soaring hot weather,” he added.

Abul Kalam Mostofa Labu, president of Zila Babosaye Oikyo Jote in Tangail, said the traders incurred huge losses due to the outbreak of coronavirus and lockdown for long period. Now when they were trying to turn around from the crisis, the frequent power outage iscreating serious problem for them.

“We know load shedding occurs when the demand of electricity is much higher than the generation of power. The present government claims that power generation has increased, but we do not see any tangible proof of it. On the other hand, electricity has become costlier,” he said.

“If it is regional problem, the local authorities should inform the matter to the people beforehand through announcement so that they can take necessary preparation for it. If it is a national problem, the power minister should explain the reason and say sorry to the people for their sufferings,” he added.

Contacted, Tofazzal Hossain Pramanik, superindent engineer of Power Development Board (PDB) in Tangail, said that normally the demand of electricity is 235MW in the district, which has increased to 270MW during the irrigation period.

“However, we are getting around 170 MW from the national grid currently. As a result, the interruption in the power supply is causing. We understand the sufferings of the people and we are sorry for it,” he said.

An SSC examinee prepares her lessons lighting a candle during power outage in Tangail town. Frequent power cuts in the district for the last one week have been causing immense sufferings to the people amid soaring temperatures.

Photo: Mirza Shakil

The authorities blamed shortage of supply against the demand behind the situation. They said such a situation will prevail for next one week.