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Load shedding in Dhaka
Power outages hit VIP zones amid 3,639 MW deficit
Published : Monday, 31 August, 2026 at 9:25 AM
Observer Online Report
Collected Photo
Severe load-shedding hit VIP and elite areas across the capital as the national power deficit crossed 3,600 MW amid acute fuel shortages and soaring temperatures.
Residents in Baily Road, Mintoo Road, Gulshan, Banani, Dhanmondi, Baridhara, and Uttara reported frequent power outages lasting up to an hour, occurring three to four times daily.
"I have lived on Baily Road for nine years and never experienced outages like this," said resident Ikramul Kabir. "Power went out four times between morning and evening on Sunday."
Addressing the situation, an executive director of Dhaka Power Distribution Company (DPDC) clarified that power cuts are now distributed equally across all neighborhoods.
"Except for hospitals, KPI zones, and industrial sectors, load-shedding is being applied uniformly to ensure fairness, following government directives," the official said.
Data from Power Grid Bangladesh revealed that peak demand reached 16,567 MW at 4:00 PM on Sunday against a generation of 12,928 MW, creating a deficit of 3,639 MW.
The gap stood at 3,297 MW at 5:00 PM and 2,539 MW at 6:00 PM, when demand registered at 16,281 MW against a supply of 13,742 MW. Earlier at 12:00 PM, the shortfall peaked at 3,590 MW.
Meanwhile, less privileged areas including Mirpur, Moghbazar, Old Dhaka, Jatrabari, Mohammadpur, Badda, and Rampura experienced power cuts five to six times a day, disrupting water pumps, cooking, and daily routines.
The crisis stems from severely reduced natural gas supply, lower production at major coal power plants, and fuel oil shortages.
Petrobangla reported gas supply at 2,322 million cubic feet on Sunday evening against national requirements, with 1,610 million cubic feet from domestic fields and 712 million cubic feet from imported LNG.
Power Development Board (PDB) Chairman Engineer Rezaul Karim stated that reduced gas and coal supplies severely impacted generation. Major units including Payra, Matarbari, and Adani Power operate below capacity.
Adani Power's Jharkhand plant reduced supply to Bangladesh by 500 MW to 600 MW due to coal constraints, while one unit at Matarbari remains shut down.
In Narsingdi, textile factory workers laid siege to the Palli Bidyut Samiti-1 zonal office and blocked the Dhaka-Sylhet Highway in Madhabdi for 90 minutes on Sunday morning.
The demonstration triggered a three-kilometer traffic jam until police and local administration officials assured workers that electricity supply would normalize within seven days.
-SA
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Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury
Published by the Editor on behalf of the Observer Ltd. from Globe Printers, 24/A, New Eskaton Road, Ramna, Dhaka.
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Published by the Editor on behalf of the Observer Ltd. from Globe Printers, 24/A, New Eskaton Road, Ramna, Dhaka.
Editorial, News and Commercial Offices : Aziz Bhaban (2nd floor), 93, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000.
Phone: PABX- 41053001-06; Advertisement: 41053012; 01793317829, 01550707291, E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] Online: email: [email protected] 41053014; 01550707297 Advertisement: 01550707296
