Bangladesh sweats as Middle East fuel shortages force power cuts
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A severe heatwave is sweeping across Bangladesh, with temperatures hitting 40 deg C in some areas.
PHOTO: EPA
DHAKA – Bangladesh is battling a heatwave and frequent power cuts, as soaring electricity demand outstrips limited generation capacity constrained by shortages linked to the Middle East war.
Temperatures have hit 40 deg C across a swathe of the country of 170 million people, forcing the government to impose load-shedding – temporary power cuts to parts of the electricity network – as demand exceeds supply.
Ms Mashuka Yasmin Mishu, a 35-year-old mother of two from north-western Pabna district, told AFP news agency on April 24: “Neither my children nor I could sleep last night due to frequent power cuts. It was extremely hot.
“We have had power cuts before, but this year we cannot get electricity for even two hours at a stretch.”
The South Asian nation imports 95 per cent of its oil and gas, much of it from the Middle East, where energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz have been disrupted since war began in late February.
“We have a huge electricity generation capacity, but due to shortages of gas and fuel, we are unable to utilise it,” senior Energy Ministry official Umme Rehana told reporters on April 21.
Junior Power Minister Anindya Islam Amit told Parliament on April 24 that electricity demand was 16,000MW, against generation of 14,126MW.
“Limited load-shedding was required,” Mr Amit said.
“To maintain fairness, we have decided to introduce limited, experimental load-shedding of 110MW in Dhaka. It is not acceptable that urban residents enjoy comfort while farmers suffer.”
Bangladesh has seen queues lasting several hours at petrol stations in mid-April, although Energy Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud has blamed panic buying and insisted the country has enough fuel. AFP
