Load shedding amid the on-going heat wave has made life miserable in the city. HSC (Higher Secondary certificate) examinees are the worst sufferers.

The power crisis is also affecting small industries.

The power outage which continues for hours daily in the city is also affecting transmission from Sylhet centre of Bangladesh Betar, its officials said.

In upazilas, load shedding continues four to five hours at a stretch, prompting demonstrations at places in the past week, according to reports received here.

A high official in the Power Development Board (PDB) while talking to the Daily Star yesterday said, peak hour (5 pm to 11 pm ) demand for power in four districts of Sylhet division is 170 to 180 MW.

But the supply is about half of it since March, he said seeking anonymity.

"We have no alternative to keeping power supply in areas suspended for hours", he said. Besides, supply is also interrupted at places due to line disruption as those can not carry the load, and also for repair work.

He however claimed that many of the vulnerable supply lines have been renovated and consumers' complaints have come down significantly in city areas.

“We have nothing to do unless supply from the National Grid is increased, which is not expected soon", he said.

The situation in the city suburbs and rural areas is more precarious. Many subscribers in suburban Khadimnagar, Tukerbazar Salutikor, Lalabazar, Srirampur, Kuchai, Hetimganj areas told this correspondent that they even do not get any response from complaint centers.

Power outage continues four to five hours at a stretch, they added. Subscribers under Palli Biddyut Samity (Rural Electrification Board) suffer more, they said.

President of Hatimganj Bazar committee in Golapganj upazila said, none can say when power will return once it goes. Shop owner Anwarul Haque in the market said, "We do not get any satisfactory answer even after lodging complaint with the Palli Biddyut Samity office".

Palli Biddyut, when contacted, blamed PDB for the crisis as they get power supply from it.

Different social organisations and political parties held

rallies and brought out processions in the city in the alst few days demanding uninterrupted power supply. They also threatened of tougher agitation, if the situation does not improve.