E-Paper
Bangladesh turns to India for help as power crisis forces 8 pm shutdown for malls, shops
Bangladesh government has directed shops, markets and shopping malls to shut shop by 8 pm amid ongoing power crisis in country.
Bangladesh is facing one of its worst power crisis in years as a severe shortage of natural gas has hit electricity generation in the country, prompting the government to direct closure of shops, markets and shopping malls as early as 8pm.
Bangladesh has now turned to India for help.
New govt order forces commercial establishments to shut shop early
Under a government directive that took effect on Thursday, shops, markets and shopping malls have been directed to shut shop by 8 pm, according to a Reuters report. Commercial establishments are now permitted to operate only between 11 am and 8 pm while hospitals, pharmacies and food-related businesses have been exempted.
Also Read | No response yet on invite to Brics Summit for Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman
B'desh turns to India for help
The worsening crisis has also prompted Bangladesh to seek additional diesel supplies from India to help manage the shortages of power and gas.
Indian high commissioner Dinesh Trivedi met Bangladesh's Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood to discuss cooperation in the power and energy sectors, three days ago.
"High Commissioner Trivedi paid a courtesy call on Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood," the Indian High Commission said in a post on X.
They "exchanged views on further strengthening India–Bangladesh cooperation in the power and energy sectors," it said.
Also Read | ‘Will update when there is one’: India on Dhaka’s Hasina extradition request
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Mahmood said the diesel shortage had directly affected gas-fired power generation, triggering widespread load-shedding.
"We have a pipeline with India through which diesel is supplied. We have asked them to provide more," he told reporters, according to PTI.
The energy minister said additional diesel supplies from India through the existing cross-border pipeline were needed to help manage Bangladesh's ongoing power and gas shortages.
"India is our neighbouring country, so we have many areas of mutual interest, and those issues were discussed," he added.
Iran crisis has impacted gas supply
Limited gas supplies have reduced electricity generation, leaving Bangladesh's national grid facing a shortfall of several hundred megawatts during peak hours and triggering load-shedding in different parts of the country, Reuters reported.
The situation has been further aggravated by the Iran crisis, which has disrupted energy markets and increased volatility in global fuel and LNG prices, according to the report.
