DST yet to give desired result

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Munima Sultana
The government has found the benefit of the measure of daylight saving time (DST) in the first hour of the peak time.
But it is yet to get the desired result at the later part of peak hour as the people still go by their old habits.
According to experts, energy is saved between 7pm and 8pm as the offices, mills and factories close down before the end of the daytime. But they observe that saving of electricity is not there as expected at zero hour.
Prof Ijaz Hossain, chairman of Chemical Engineering Department of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) said many people are yet to be habituated with the new timing and sleep one hour later than 12 midnight.
According to Dhaka Power Distribution Company, on an average 64 megawatt of electricity has been saved a day since the introduction of DST on June 19. DPDC's statistics showed that 61 MW was saved on the first working day on June 21. It recorded the highest 66.04 MW on June 25. On June 29, it was 65.64 MW.
A DPDC source said the saved electricity is being dispatched immediately to meet the household need, which has increased.
"Since the energy saved cannot be preserved, it is automatically dispatched to meet the immediate need," he said.
He also admitted that the power could not be saved after 11pm.
When asked, Prof Ijaz Hossain said: "The demand for electricity is supposed to come down at end part of peak hour, which has not happened."
He, however, hoped that in the next two weeks, the people would be more habituated with the new timing.
The BUET teacher said saving daylight has improved the quality of life of the people as it is done in other countries.
It is also found that many people, mostly elderly and practicing Muslims, are also not accepting the new timing because of the changes in prayer schedules.
"Esh'a prayer is now said quite late. People are not willing to take food soon after it," said Lutfunnesa Minu, a housewife.
The government's decision to introduce DST in Bangladesh has been taken to address the country's energy shortages, particularly in the summer period. This arrangement aims to save daylight.
About 90 million out of 140 million people in Bangladesh do not have direct access to electricity, according to the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources. Furthermore, the remaining 50 million people have access, but reliable and quality power is still beyond their reach.