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Public life in all districts of Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions is grappling with frequent power outages now-a-days.
Hours of power outage due to load-shedding have become the order of the day in the two regions.
Sources said Northern Electricity Power Supply Company (NESCO) supplies electricity to 16 districts of Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions.
According to the company, since Monday last, electricity has not been available from the national grid as per the demand. It is not possible to provide electricity to the customers as per the demand.
Load-shedding of power has to be done for one to one and a half hours in every three hours in almost all districts and upazilas of the two divisions. The situation has worsened as the demand for electricity has also increased.
Palli Bidyut Samity supplies electricity to some areas of Rajshahi, including some upazilas, but the extent of their load-shedding is bigger than that of NESCO. As a result, farmers of the villages are facing irrigation crisis.
It is known that frequent load-shedding has started in almost all districts and upazilas of Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions.
Besides public life being disrupted due to frequent power outages amid intense heat, business activities in the divisions are also being hampered for the situation.
Disruption is also occurring in the production processes of the industrial units.
There has been a slowdown in shopping in small and large markets including luxury shopping malls.
Ashraful Islam, a resident of Shashtitala area of Rajshahi city, said that since last Monday, load-shedding has reached an unbearable level in the city.
"On Thursday also, there was no electricity for three to four hours from morning to afternoon. I am afraid of what will happen at night. In this way children and old people have to suffer the most for power outages. They are suffering from various diseases including fever, cold, cough and diarrhea amid intense heat. So it should be resolved quickly," he continued.
Abdus Sattar, who is involved in PVC printing business in Rajshahi, said that his business was suffering loss due to frequent power outages for the past few days. It is not being possible for him to deliver service to customers on time. Again, employees are also passing time sitting idle. This is causing loss in the business.
Imran Hossain, a farmer in Tanor upazila of Rajshahi, said that due to frequent load-shedding, irrigating paddy fields is being obstructed.
Ramendra Chandra Roy, senior general manager of Rajshahi District Palli Bidyut Samity said, "We supply electricity from Katakhali sub-station in Rajshahi. But even from there we are not getting electricity as per demand. Maximum 30 per cent electricity is available during peak hours from 6 pm to 11 pm. As a result, load-shedding has to be done frequently.
Ashraful Islam Mandal, chief engineer (Operations) of NESCO's Rangpur zone, said, "The electricity demand in Rangpur division is 1,050 to 1,100 MW. But about 700 megawatts of electricity is being provided from the national grid. As a result, one to one and a half hours of load-shedding has to be done in every three hours in all areas."
Md Zakir Hossain, chief engineer of NESCO's Rajshahi Zone, said, "The demand for electricity in eight districts of Rajshahi division is about 1,277 MW. The supply from the national grid is about 1,170 MW. As a result 107 to 110 MW load-shedding has to be done every hour in Rajshahi."