The Crime Desk: The Power Development Board (PDB) had started maintenance work on transmission lines and substations in advance to ensure uninterrupted power supply throughout Chittagong during the month of Ramadan. But the PDB could not complete the work before Ramadan. Even after the start of the holy month of Ramadan, PDB line renovation work is going on every week. For renovation work, power supply is being shut down for 9 hours in some places and 5 to 6 hours in others.
On Saturday, the seventh day of the holy month of Ramadan, power supply was shut down in a large area of the city from 5 am to 11 am, 2 pm, and 3-4 pm for repair and maintenance work of PDB. Although the Power Development Board had previously notified the newspaper about this renovation work, the city residents are facing a water shortage in a large part due to the continuous power outage during Ramadan.
On the spot, at around 12 noon yesterday, it was seen that electricity poles on both sides of the road and branches of trees around the lines were being cut. There was no electricity in Lovelane and surrounding areas from 7 am to 1:30-2 pm due to repair work. The same situation was in Rahmatganj, JM Sen Hall Road, Cheragi Pahar, Momin Road, Nandankanan, Enayet Bazar, and surrounding areas.
At 3:30 pm, Md. Sahab Uddin, a resident of the Mohammadpur area of Muradpur, told the media that the electricity went out in their area at 5 am. There was no electricity at around 3:30 pm either. The same situation was in a large area, including Polytechnic Institute, Muradpur CDA Avenue, Mirzapur, Sugandha Residential Area, Nasirabad Housing Society Road No. 1, Mirzapur, Bahaddarhat, New Chandgaon Residential Area, and Asian Housing Society.
Bangladesh Power Development Board Distribution Southern Zone Chittagong Superintending Engineer (North) Shahidul Islam Mridha told the media that there is no electricity crisis. Under the project, electricity is shut off in some areas every Friday and Saturday for maintenance work. This work is announced in advance by a notice in the newspaper.
