Despite government claims of record electricity generation, consumers across parts of Bangladesh say they continue to face prolonged power outages, raising questions about the gap between official figures and on-the-ground reality.
Energy experts say electricity supply data should be disclosed transparently to help explain the discrepancy between reported generation levels and widespread complaints of load shedding.
The issue has resurfaced after the government announced a record electricity generation of 17,200MW on May 20, ahead of Eid-ul-Azha. Authorities also maintain that the country’s installed generation capacity exceeds 30,000MW.
However, residents in several districts told Bangla Tribune they continue to experience frequent and lengthy power outages, particularly in rural areas.
Experts call for transparency
Energy expert Shamsul Alam said power distribution companies should provide accurate information on supply shortages.
“On one hand, authorities are saying there is no electricity shortage, while on the other, consumers are experiencing outages. This creates distrust among customers,” he said.
According to Alam, meeting full electricity demand remains difficult because of fuel costs and supply constraints.
“If load shedding is necessary to manage the system, it should be communicated clearly instead of creating confusion,” he added.
Chittagong residents report frequent outages
Residents in Chittagong say load shedding has intensified in recent weeks amid rising temperatures.
Jamaluddin Hawlader, a resident of Chawkbazar, said electricity was unavailable for four to five hours daily on average, with power interruptions occurring several times a day.
“The situation has become unbearable during the heat,” he said.
According to the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB), Chittagong had sufficient electricity supply on June 5.
BPDB Assistant Director (Public Relations) Md Akbar Hossain said demand during peak hours stood at 1,519.2MW against a supply of 1,517.2MW, resulting in only about 2MW of load shedding.
He added that there was no load shedding during off-peak hours.
Rural Khulna faces supply disruptions
While power supply in Khulna city has remained relatively stable since Eid-ul-Azha, residents in Koyra and Paikgachha upazilas reported regular outages.
Abdullah Al Jubair of Koyra said power cuts occurred repeatedly throughout the day.
Farid Hossain, a technician at the local electricity office, said ageing infrastructure often causes disruptions.
“We operate an old 33kV line. Faults take time to identify and repair, which results in extended outages,” he said.
He added that Koyra’s electricity demand is around 11MW, while supply often remains between 5MW and 6MW.
However, according to the central control room of the Rural Electrification Board (REB), there was no recorded load shedding in Khulna on June 5 and 6, with supply matching demand during those days.
Long outages reported in Mymensingh villages
The situation appears more severe in rural parts of Mymensingh division, where residents claim outages often last 12 to 14 hours daily.
Abul Hashem, a resident of Dhobaura upazila, said rural areas experience significantly longer outages than district headquarters.
“People in villages are sometimes without electricity for 14 to 15 hours a day,” he said.
According to Power Grid Bangladesh, electricity demand in the four districts of Mymensingh division stood at 731MW on Saturday afternoon, while available supply was 624MW, resulting in a shortfall of 107MW.
Masudul Haque, executive engineer of the Mymensingh divisional office of Power Grid Bangladesh, said rural areas are more affected because electricity distribution there is largely managed by local Palli Bidyut Samities.
Mymensingh Palli Bidyut Samity-3 General Manager Golam Mostafa said major supply deficits remain in Sherpur, Haluaghat and Dhobaura areas due to inadequate allocations from the national grid.
REB acknowledges reporting concerns
An REB official involved in planning and operations acknowledged that discrepancies have occurred between reported and actual load shedding figures.
He said outages caused by damaged lines, fallen trees and maintenance work are often not reflected in official load shedding statistics.
“Customers remain without electricity during these periods, and there is no reason to hide that reality,” he said.
