Load shedding order of the day in Barisal

People of the region especially the businessmen, city dwellers and HSC examinees have been suffering badly due to acute load-shedding and voltage fluctuations.
Abul Kalam Azad, superintending engineer of Barisal circle of West Zone Power Distribution Company, said Barisal division needs 110 megawatts power during the peak hour.
Of the district, Bhola district needs 20MW of electricity while it is generating 30MW using natural gas of Shahbazpur gas field.
Patuakhali district receives 10MW from Bhola and 5MW from national grid against the demand of 25MW.
On the other hand, the rest four districts of Barisal division, including Barisal, Jhalakati, Barguna and Pirojpur need 65MW of electricity, of which 35-40 MW for only the Barisal city.
However, these four districts, including Barisal city are getting only 26-30MW from the national grid against the demand of 65 MW.
This creates much load shedding in these four districts more than the two other districts in the division.
Severe load shedding has gripped upazila and village level as Rural Electrification Board is getting only 3-5MW against the demand of 15-20MW after supplying in the divisional city and district towns, an official of the board said.
"We are trying our best to ensure power supply from 10am-1pm at the examination centre areas during the examination and also from 7:00pm-11:00pm for preparation of the examinees, the official further said.
The examinees are not facing power problem in the examination centres but they suffer much at home while taking preparation for examination due to frequent power disruption, said Kawsar Hossain, an HSC examinee of Barisal Islamia College.
City dwellers have been facing acute shortage of power as well as water supply as the pumps cannot run properly due to random power outages and low voltages, Belayet Hossain Bablu, public relations officer of Barisal City Corporation said.
However, city Mayor Shawkat Hossain Hiron said that it is not possible to run all of the 10 water pumps by generators.
Besides, local businessmen said power crisis and early closing of shops have been hampering their business heavily.
Hospitals and clinics, cold storages, industrial units, residential hotels, restaurants, food shops, patrol pumps, cyber cafes, cable TV networks, newly introduced battery operated transports are the worst sufferers, said Sheikh Abdur Rahim, president of Barisal Chamber of Commerce and Industries.