A growing electricity shortfall has triggered widespread power disruptions across the Mymensingh region, with rural communities facing the most severe impact as demand continues to outpace supply during the early days of Baishakh.
Residents across the district and surrounding areas are enduring frequent load-shedding, with outages lasting between three and eight hours daily in many places. The situation is particularly acute in remote villages, where electricity remains unavailable for extended periods, intensifying hardship amid rising temperatures and mosquito infestation.
The crisis is also affecting key sectors of the local economy. Fisheries and poultry farms - two major contributors to the region’s livelihood - are struggling to maintain operations due to unreliable power supply. At the same time, students appearing in the ongoing Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations are finding it increasingly difficult to study under such conditions.
Executive Engineer of the Mymensingh Grid Masudur Haque said electricity demand in the greater Mymensingh zone - covering Mymensingh, Jamalpur, Sherpur, Netrakona, Kishoreganj and Tangail - surges to around 1,200 to 1,300 megawatts during peak evening hours. However, supply remains limited between 700 and 900 megawatts, leaving a significant deficit.
In Mymensingh District alone, peak demand reaches about 400 megawatts, while average demand stands near 250 megawatts. On Monday, supply was recorded at 840 megawatts across the region.
The situation has been worsened by a sharp decline in power generation due to gas shortages. The Mymensingh Rural Power Company, which has a capacity of 210 megawatts, is currently producing less than 50 megawatts. Similarly, the Jamalpur United Power Development plant, capable of generating 315 megawatts, is producing only around 66 to 67 megawatts.
Distribution officials said demand in different zones continues to exceed supply, forcing authorities to implement regular load-shedding. In several areas, up to 30 to 50 per cent of demand remains unmet, particularly during peak hours.
Field visits to upazilas such as Ishwarganj, Gauripur, Tarakanda, Fulpur, Dhobaura, Fulbaria and Muktagacha confirmed that outages are widespread and prolonged. Many residents reported facing power cuts for up to seven or eight hours a day.
Students and farmers are among those most affected. SSC candidates said frequent outages, combined with heat and mosquito problems, are severely disrupting their studies. Farmers, particularly those involved in fish and poultry production, are also reporting losses as irrigation systems and cooling arrangements fail during outages.
Officials said efforts are ongoing to monitor demand and manage supply, but warned that without a significant increase in power generation, the situation could deteriorate further in the coming days.
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