Thousands of consumers and local residents staged a protest and blocked the Raipur–Chandpur highway in Lakshmipur, demanding uninterrupted electricity supply.
Protesters placed trees and bamboo logs on the road at the Gachhirhat area under Charpata Union around 9pm on Thursday.
The blockade halted traffic for nearly an hour, causing severe congestion on the highway and immense suffering for commuters.
During the protest, local Member of Parliament Abul Khayer Bhuiyan was also stranded on his way to Chandpur. He later spoke with the demonstrators, calmed the situation, and assured them that steps would be taken to restore normalcy.
A meeting involving the relevant authorities was later held at the Upazila Nirbahi Officer’s office around 10pm, where the local MP directed officials to take immediate measures.
According to local sources, load-shedding in several areas of Raipur Upazila, including Charpata Union, has recently reached an unbearable level. Residents reportedly receive electricity for only four to six hours out of every 24 hours.
The situation worsened further during Eid, when many areas experienced prolonged power outages. Locals also complained that continuous load-shedding spoiled food stored in household refrigerators.
After receiving news of the blockade, police from Raipur Police Station and officials from the electricity department rushed to the scene and brought the situation under control.
Raipur Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mehedi Hasan Kawsar said: “This upazila is facing the highest level of load-shedding. The absence of electricity even on Eid day has made the situation extremely uncomfortable.”
MP Abul Khayer Bhuiyan said strict instructions had been issued to the Rural Electrification Board to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply. He added that administrative monitoring had been intensified and authorities had been asked to resolve the crisis as quickly as possible.
Deputy General Manager of Raipur Rural Electrification, Mosharraf Hossain, said recent nor’wester storms had damaged the 33kV transmission line in several places, breaking poles, snapping wires, and damaging transformers. As a result, electricity distribution has been disrupted, although repair work is ongoing to restore normal service.