To its credit, the government delivered on its promise of bringing 100 per cent of the population under electricity coverage in 2022 - a remarkable achievement by any yardstick. Electricity now reaches even the remotest rural backwaters and chars and has brought tremendous change into the lives of rural people. From students to housewives, to traders and everyone in between, all have changed their age-old habits and grown accustomed to electricity. Electric appliances like refrigerators, electric kettles, and rice cookers are now common in their homes. There is a catch, however. While the government boasts of (and takes credit for) electrifying all houses across the country, bar none, there's no mention of the load-shedding which some areas have to endure for up to 15-hours a day.
Having the necessary electrical infrastructure is one thing, but uninterrupted electricity supply is another. The electrical wiring itself is like arteries without its most essential ingredient (blood) needed to power the appliances.
The electricity poles and electric lines that crisscross the landscape are crucial components of the power distribution network, but their real value is only when there's electricity flowing through them. If there's no electricity, the infrastructure alone is of no benefit. It's like having irrigation canals, but without water flow. Where's the benefit? This highlights the importance of a reliable power generation and supply system that ensures the effective functioning of the entire electrical grid.
In spite of having surplus electricity generation capacity, the government reportedly cannot generate enough electricity due to energy crisis that has led to a shortfall and is being managed through cutting power to Rural Electrification Board (REB), responsible for powering 80 percent of the country. Meanwhile, some claim there is no load-shedding and that the issues in rural areas are due to distribution line problems rather than actual load-shedding. Whatever the reason, the reality is that people in rural areas are suffering as a consequence of significant power interruptions, real or imagined!
Frequent load-shedding in rural areas is not only causing public suffering, but also badly affecting economic growth. From hatcheries to poultry farms and from small cottage industries to healthcare facilities and other day-to-day operations are being hampered in every sector. Many villagers who have invested their life-savings and set up poultry farms are witnessing their chickens keel over and die due to the scorching heat exacerbated by power outages. The egg and chicken production have also been severely disrupted. To keep their businesses afloat, many are being forced to use diesel generators, which significantly increase production costs. Power outages are not only hampering hatchery operations, crab processing, and frozen meat exporters are also struggling.
Small and medium sized enterprises are no better off and face closure because of the frequent power outages. Because of the load-shedding that has created a slowdown in the rural economy, many have reduced their number of employees to stay afloat. Auto rice mill operators complain the frequent load-shedding is damaging their machinery, causing employees to be idle most of the day, and exacerbating their financial losses.
Small businesses in rural areas, such as computer and Internet services, are also in deep trouble. Load shedding prevents activities like photocopying, composing, and printing. Those who earn a living by running electric vehicle such as easy bikes and electric-powered vans are also facing significant interruption in their daily operation as they cannot properly charge their vehicles. Medical care in rural areas is another great concern and a casualty of load-shedding. Patients face long waits for procedures like x-rays, mammograms and ultrasonic tests. What normally takes minutes can take several hours, while awaiting the power to be restored due to power interruptions.
Frequent load-shedding is also severely disrupting industrial production. For instance, Kamal Mia, President of the Bangladesh Engineering Industrial Owners Association, lamented when speaking to media recently that it has become increasingly difficult to keep over 1,000 light engineering factories in Bogura operational. Because of the frequent power cuts, workers are only able to work for four hours, but must be paid for a full eight-hour shift.
Overall, load-shedding is crippling the rural economy, disrupting businesses, and affecting everyday life. Against this backdrop, the boastful rhetoric of development reaching all corners of the country rings hollow.
Moreover, when power outages occur in urban areas due to technical glitches, prompt action is taken to fix the problem and restore electricity. In rural areas, however, when transmission lines are disrupted due to storms or technical issues, people in affected areas often have to wait for days for electricity to return. This delay is because the REB fails to identify the problem speedily and resolve the problem.
Unlike electricity distribution companies in urban areas, the REB is not equipped with an automated fault detection system to pinpoint any problems in the supply line. As a result, it has to rely on "bush telegram" from villagers reporting issues to them. Concerned officials then take discretionary steps to address the problem, which often takes an agonisingly long time. Thus frequent outages and lengthy repair times are now the norm in rural areas.
Electrification is a basic necessity, not a privilege. The rural people have equal rights to electricity as their counterparts in cities. The government must ensure equitable access to reliable power for all. While the claim of uninterrupted steady power supply in rural areas fails to match that in urban areas, it would be wrong for anyone to say that Bangladesh in its entirety is electrified.
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