Photo : Messenger
The residents of Mongla in Bagerhat, the second-largest seaport city, are grappling with frequent power outages that have made daily life unbearable. The power supply in the city has become highly erratic, with electricity going off and on as if by magic. Even a slight breeze or drizzle can result in hours of electricity disruption, leaving citizens frustrated and in the dark. These outages occur without prior notice, both during the day and at night, causing severe inconvenience to the local population.
Residents have raised serious concerns about the negligence and lack of accountability among the officials and staff of the Mongla Power Supply Office. According to the residents, the situation has persisted for days due to faults in the supply line, which remain unresolved due to the apathy of the concerned personnel. They claim that despite the ongoing issues, the responsible authorities have not taken any effective steps to improve the situation, and their actions are limited to routine, superficial measures.
Since last Saturday, the city and its surrounding areas have experienced a particularly severe power crisis, which lasted until Monday evening. Investigations reveal that the Mongla Power Supply Office operates under the West Zone Power Distribution Company Ltd. (WZPDCL). While rural areas are served by the rural electrification line, the residents of the municipal area rely on the supply line managed by WZPDCL. Mongla Power Supply Office reportedly serves around 5,000 consumers, generating an average monthly revenue of approximately 120 million BDT.
However, the officials and employees responsible for maintaining the power lines have been accused of negligence, dereliction of duty, and misconduct. Their carelessness has led to repeated power outages in Mongla, both during the day and at night, over the past few months.
Residents from different parts of the city have voiced their frustration. Abul Kalam, a resident of Shehalabunia, and Md. Shahjahan Fakir, a resident of Miyapara, expressed their anger, stating that there is hardly any time of day or night when the power supply is stable. Even the slightest breeze or light rain leads to prolonged power cuts. They also mentioned that sometimes, power supply is halted for the entire day under the pretext of line repair or maintenance, only for the same problem to recur shortly afterward.
When asked about the reasons for these outages, electricity workers Rezaul and Halim admitted that they often cannot locate the faults or that the lines are unstable, making it impossible to predict when the supply will be restored. There have been complaints that when a fault occurs in the line, the residential engineer, assistant sub-engineer, and linemen do not come to the field for supervision. Instead, they send two casual staff members to identify and fix the issue haphazardly.
Mongla Citizens' Society Convener, Md. Noor Alam Sheikh, blamed the frequent power outages on the negligence and carelessness of the concerned officials and staff. He remarked that the repeated power cuts throughout the day and night have nearly paralyzed life in the city. Students, especially those appearing for their Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) exams, are facing extreme hardship due to the prolonged power cuts. Furthermore, the ongoing power crisis has disrupted industrial production and brought business activities to a standstill.
In response to the situation, Monowar Zahid, the residential engineer of Mongla Power Supply, acknowledged the disruptions but attributed them to issues with the grid and weather conditions. He also mentioned that the shortage of manpower makes it difficult to repair the faults in the lines promptly.
The residents of Mongla are demanding immediate and effective action to resolve the ongoing power crisis and restore normalcy to their lives.
Messenger/Fameema
