The government of Bangladesh has decided to introduce a trial phase of load-shedding in Dhaka as part of measures to prioritise electricity supply for agriculture and address regional disparities.
State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Anindya Islam Amit made the announcement in Parliament on Thursday while delivering a statement under Rule 300 during a session chaired by Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed.
The state minister said the temporary load-shedding in the capital - initially set at around 110 megawatts - aims to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply for irrigation during the ongoing agricultural season.
He added that the move is intended to support farmers so that crop production is not disrupted.
According to him, the current electricity situation reflects a gap between generation and demand. On Wednesday, peak demand reached nearly 16,000 megawatts, while generation stood at around 14,126 megawatts, resulting in a nationwide shortfall of about 2,086 megawatts.
He also pointed to challenges in the gas sector, stating that against a demand of 3,800 million cubic feet per day, supply currently stands at 2,636 million cubic feet, leaving a significant deficit. Limited infrastructure, he said, has slowed efforts to increase imports despite available funding.
The state minister noted that some power plants are temporarily offline due to maintenance, but expressed optimism that the situation would improve within a week once they return to operation.
While acknowledging public inconvenience caused by the power adjustments, he said the government remains committed to improving transparency and stabilising the energy supply system in the coming days.
