Sylhet is plagued by frequent power cuts, causing growing frustration among residents and businesses. The city's daily life and local economy are significantly impacted by severe load shedding in recent days, disrupting trade and the water supply managed by the city corporation.
Experts attribute the problem to a significant shortfall in power supply, with demand ranging from 140-160 MW against a deficit of 40-60 MW. Records from the Sylhet Power Development Board reveal stark disparities: on April 2, demand peaked at 141 MW, while only 56 MW was supplied; April 3 saw demand at 120-130 MW with a supply of only 66 MW; and on April 4, the supply plummeted to just 69 MW against a demand of 135 MW.
As Eid-ul-Fitr approaches, traders, anticipating the festive rush, have decorated their establishments, only to rely on generators amidst the frequent outages. These disruptions have inconvenienced residents during crucial times like Sehri and Iftar.
Zakir Ahmed, a local trader from Golapganj, voiced the community's distress, stating, 'General people and businesses are the worst sufferers, and we fear the power cut problems will only worsen with the summer heat.'
Echoing this sentiment, Airin Sultana Nipa, a housewife from Lala Dighirpar, shared her struggles, 'The power goes out before dawn, causing water shortages at critical moments like Iftar and Sehri. It's disheartening to face such challenges.'
Jarjisur Rahman Rony, an assistant engineer at the Sylhet Power Development Board, shed light on the dilemma, explaining, 'We're distributing what little electricity we have. The issue isn't with the infrastructure but stems from broader economic challenges affecting power generation, such as the dollar and coal crisis, forcing us into load shedding.
