DUMURIA, KHULNA, Oct 27: Residents of Dumuria Upazila in Khulna are enduring severe power outages amid soaring temperatures, bringing daily life and livelihood to a near standstill.
Consumers of the Rural Electrification Board (REB) are suffering due to frequent load-shedding that has become an almost round-the-clock ordeal.
According to local residents, electricity has become a rare commodity in the area. Most parts of Dumuria now experience power for only a few hours during the day and night. In many places, there are stretches of three to four hours of continuous load-shedding, disrupting work, education, and daily activities. Locals complain that despite the sharp decline in power supply, electricity bills have not decreased. In fact, many have reported receiving bills almost double the amount they used to pay when electricity was available 24 hours a day.
"Even though we get power for only four or five hours in 24 hours, our monthly bills remain unchanged," said several angry residents. "It feels like we are paying for electricity that we never receive." They also alleged that officials from the REB have been dismissive of their repeated complaints.
The prolonged power outages have severely affected small and medium-scale businesses that rely on electricity to operate. Workshop owners, rice mills, tailors, and grocery shops are among the worst hit. "We cannot work properly without electricity," said Forhad Hossain, a local businessman. "There are hours of power cuts every day. Sometimes we sit idle for three or four hours straight. If this continues, our businesses will collapse. On top of that, we are paying imaginary or estimated bills without consuming any power. It's completely unfair."
The agriculture and livestock sectors are also reeling under the impact of load-shedding. Sheikh Nazrul Islam, a cattle farmer from Kharnia Union, said he rears several foreign-breed cows that require continuous use of electric fans in his farm. "If the power goes out even for 10 minutes, the cows start panting and often fall sick due to the heat. The continuous load shedding has made it almost impossible to maintain healthy livestock," he said.
Poultry farmers in the area echoed similar frustration. "Broiler chickens need a cool and controlled environment to grow properly," said a local poultry farmer. "But with the extreme heat and long hours of power cuts, the temperature inside the farm rises dangerously. Many of our chickens are dying every day from heatstroke. We are facing huge losses this season."
Households are no less affected. Students cannot study at night, while elderly people and children are struggling to cope with the heat and darkness. In many homes, fans and refrigerators remain non-functional for most of the day, leading to food spoilage and discomfort. "We are living in the dark ages again," said one frustrated homemaker.
Local sources said the situation has worsened since power production dropped in the national grid. Frequent supply disruptions from Khulna and other connected power stations have caused massive shortfalls in the upazila's power supply.
Contacted, Sanjoy Roy, Deputy General Manager (DGM) of Dumuria Zonal Office under Khulna Palli Bidyut Samity, acknowledged the situation, saying, "Yes, I admit that people are suffering due to load shedding. The main reason is low power generation and inadequate supply compared to the demand."
He said the upazila currently has a demand of 21 megawatts of power against an actual supply of only 6 to 8 megawatts. "We are receiving much less electricity than required, forcing us to enforce load shedding," he explained.
When asked when residents might expect relief, the DGM said that the issue depends on the restoration of several inactive power generation units across the country. "Our higher authorities have assured us that the situation will improve soon once the closed plants resume operation," he added.
For now, Dumuria residents continue to endure long hours of power cuts in the oppressive heat, their patience wearing thin as both daily life and livelihoods hang in the balance.
