Naogaon: Acute load shedding caused by a shortfall in electricity supply is disrupting industrial production and irrigation in Naogaon, with factories cutting output and farmers struggling to keep Aman rice fields irrigated amid persistent hot weather.

According to United News of Bangladesh, areas outside the district town are facing power outages of up to seven to eight hours a day, while industries are increasingly relying on diesel-run generators to keep their operations going. The additional fuel costs are squeezing profit margins, forcing some businesses to reduce operating hours despite continued demand for their products.

Naogaon, one of Bangladesh’s major rice-producing districts, has more than 700 rice mills. The district also hosts numerous small and large factories producing food and food products, agricultural machinery, plastics, and light-engineering goods. At Ghosh Automatic Rice Mill in Sultanpur of Naogaon municipality, which falls under the Northern Electricity Supply Company (Nesco), power was unavailable for around four hours between noon on Wednesday and 11 am on Thursday. Mill owner Dwijen Ghosh reported frequent outages and rising production costs due to diesel dependency.

At Nasim Brothers Automatic Rice Mill in Naogaon BSCIC industrial estate, manager Saiful Islam mentioned the factory is experiencing five to six hours of load shedding every day, leading to a 30 percent drop in production. The ongoing situation is also affecting businesses in the town. Zahidul Haque, manager of Panchbhai Hotel and Restaurant, noted an increase in load shedding since August, exacerbating challenges for businesses.

In rural areas, some villages receive electricity for only 18 to 19 hours a day. The outages are creating difficulties for farmers during the Aman season. At a deep tube well in Gobindapur village, operator Firoz Hossain highlighted the challenges in irrigating fields due to electricity shortages, putting rice plants at risk.

Traders in Dhamoirhat upazila are also bearing the brunt, with increased costs for generator-supplied electricity during outages. Owners of rice mills and cold storage facilities are urging authorities to ensure electricity supply meets demand. According to officials, Naogaon is facing a 30 to 40 percent shortfall in electricity supply compared to demand.

Mahbub Zia, general manager of Naogaon Palli Bidyut Samity-2, reported receiving significantly less electricity than required, impacting daily life and economic activities. State Minister for Power and Energy Aninda Islam Amit acknowledged the significant gaps between electricity demand and supply, stating that the government is working on a time-bound action plan to address the crisis. He emphasized the need for a specific action plan to resolve issues in the power and energy sectors, admitting the challenges in operating power plants at full capacity due to fuel shortages.