Bangladesh bans use of decorative illumination to save power

Bangladesh is facing serious power crisis. The meet the shortage,the government has directed that no decorative lights be used for social events or on community centres, shopping malls and business establishments, offices and residences to save electricity in view of the global rise in the price of fuel. The Cabinet Division of the government of Bangladesh issued the circular on Thursday. The circular has been issued even while Bangladesh is facing power cuts following the global energy  crisis in the wake of the Ukraine war. In the meanwhile, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s adviser on Power and Energy Dr. Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury advised reduction in the use of air-conditioners in markets, shops, offices etc. to cut down on the energy consumption, reports the official news agency BSS. Speaking to the media in Dhaka, Dr. Elahi outlined several measures like restricting the office hours between 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and closing of the shopping malls and business establishments by 7 p.m. to save electricity in the country. He said that frugal use of power may reduce the consumption of energy from 14,500 MW per day to 12,500 MW per day leaving a gap of just about 500 MW. Dr. Elahi said that the crisis could escalate if the electricity consumption is not reduced. 

Earlier, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had called upon all to use electricity cautiously in view of the global trend of price spiral, power scarcity and looming food crisis due to the coronavirus pandemic and Russia-Ukraine war.According to the government, a 9 percent gap between power demand and production has forced the authorities’ hands. The government was finding it increasingly difficult to keep power plants running as operational costs continue to spiral.