Power cuts plague Barishal

Barisal residents are facing disruptions in their daily lives due to frequent power outages amid extreme heat.

The areas across Barishal division -- including the city corporation areas -- are experiencing electricity shortages, with some areas even lacking power during iftar time.

The electricity department reports a daily demand of 480MW across six districts in Barishal division, but 360MW is being supplied, resulting in a shortfall of 120MW.

In Barishal city alone, there is a demand for 80MW to 85MW of electricity, but a shortfall of 30-46MW. This results in more than two hours without electricity in many places, particularly in Kawnia, Palashpur, Amanatganj, and Sagardi residential areas.

Anisur Rahman from Kawnia Main road area in the city said, "Every day, we face one to two hours of power outage, even during iftar, causing increased hardship."

 "Despite the increased electricity prices, we still experience electricity shortages when needed," he added.

Dr Saiful Islam, the director of Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital, said the hospital experiences frequent load sheddings, leading to increased patient suffering, including during operations.

 Md Aktaruzzaman Palash, the executive engineer of Barishal Power Grid, said sudden temperature rise coupled with nighttime shopping ahead of Eid are some of the reasons behind power shortage.

 "Load shedding is occurring due to insufficient electricity supply matching demand," he explained.

He also said they are prioritising ensuring uninterrupted power supply in commercial areas over residential ones to ensure normalcy in shopping and production.

He described the issue as temporary, saying, "Closures of production centers due to fuel crises worsened the problem."

"The crisis will soon resolve," he assured.

The electricity department noted that hot weather has led to a surge in electricity usage, including air conditioning, significantly increasing demand several times over.

However, the situation persists during peak hours with at least 20 percent less electricity supply compared to demand.

Barishal experienced a heat wave for two days within the past week, as reported by the Meteorological Department.

On April 6, the temperature reached 36.2 degrees Celsius, while on April 2, it peaked at 37.6 degrees Celsius, according to Md Bashir Ahmed from the Meteorological Department office in Barishal.