Power outage, inflated bills leave Nabinagar residents frustrated

NABINAGAR, BRAHMANBARIA, July 31: Residents of Nabinagar Upazila in Brahmanbaria are enduring prolonged power outage and unusually high electricity bills, disrupting daily life, businesses and studies.

Locals alleged that electricity remains unavailable for 17 to 18 hours a day, while many consumers have received bills two to three times higher than in previous months despite frequent outage.

They said load-shedding intensifies after sunset, particularly following Maghrib prayers, leaving large parts of the upazila in darkness for hours. Business owners said the situation has disrupted commercial activities and heightened fears of theft and robbery, forcing many shops to close earlier than usual.

Consumers also complained that repeated power interruptions have damaged household appliances, including televisions, refrigerators and air conditioners. Poultry farms and small industrial units are also suffering production losses due to the erratic power supply.

Students preparing for the upcoming Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations said they are struggling to study amid the prolonged outages and intense heat. Children, elderly people and patients are also facing severe hardship.

Abul Bashar, a resident of Ibrahimpur village, said his monthly electricity bill had nearly doubled despite the frequent outages.

"Last month my bill was around Tk 2,000, but this month it has risen to nearly Tk 4,000. We contacted the electricity office but received no satisfactory response," he said.

Businessman Rahmat Mia said electricity "rarely stays on" and that consumers are being charged excessive bills despite the persistent load-shedding.

HSC candidates Momen and Sonia said power returns only briefly after long interruptions, making it almost impossible to study.

Assistant Election Officer Suman Bhuiyan said excessive load-shedding has disrupted official work at the Nabinagar Election Office, causing inconvenience to people seeking services.

Teacher Ashraful Haque said students preparing for public examinations are among those worst affected.

Responding to the complaints, Brahmanbaria Palli Bidyut Samity General Manager Md Saidur Rahman said the problem was caused by a fault in the 132-kV grid line and a disruption in power transmission.

"We expect the situation to improve within the next two to three days, and load-shedding will be reduced significantly," he said.