Power Crisis Sparks Protest at Rural Electricity Office

Residents of Raiganj Upazila in Sirajganj staged a protest by surrounding the local office of the Rural Electrification Board after enduring months of severe power outages, disrupting daily life, education, and one of the area’s most important cottage industries. The demonstration took place on Saturday afternoon (27 June) outside the Dhanghara office of the Palli Bidyut Samity, before ending peacefully following assurances from local electricity officials.

According to local sources, electricity shortages have worsened significantly across the unions and villages of Raiganj over the past several months. While parts of Dhanghara Bazar within the municipal area have continued to receive comparatively better electricity supply, residents in surrounding rural communities say they have been subjected to prolonged and repeated load-shedding, leaving households and businesses struggling to cope.

The disruption has hit the weaving industry in Laxmikola village particularly hard. The area is known for its traditional handloom production, with many families relying on weaving as their primary source of income. Frequent power interruptions have forced loom owners to suspend operations for extended periods, reducing production and affecting the livelihoods of both business owners and workers.

Protesters claimed that electricity is available for only four to five hours over an entire day, and even then the supply lasts for just 10 to 20 minutes at a time before being interrupted again. They said the unpredictable power cuts have made everyday life increasingly difficult, with household activities regularly disrupted and children unable to study properly, particularly during the evening.

“We have been suffering for months,” one protester said. “Our lives have become unbearable because of constant load-shedding. Workers arrive at the weaving mills only to sit idle because there is no electricity. We cannot continue like this.”

Handloom factory owners participating in the demonstration said their workshops remain shut for nearly 20 hours out of every 24 due to electricity disruptions. As a result, production has fallen sharply, making it impossible to deliver products such as lungis, sarees and towels to customers within agreed deadlines. They warned that continued interruptions are causing substantial financial losses for both employers and employees, threatening the sustainability of local weaving businesses that depend on uninterrupted electricity to maintain production schedules.

The protesters demanded a stable and reliable power supply, arguing that prolonged outages are affecting not only economic activity but also education, household welfare and the overall quality of life across the upazila.

Confirming the incident, Nizamul Islam, Deputy General Manager of the Bhuiyaghati Zonal Office of Sirajganj Palli Bidyut Samity-1, said local residents had gathered at the office in protest over excessive load-shedding. He added that officials met with the demonstrators and assured them that efforts would be made to ensure a more reliable electricity supply. Following those assurances, the protesters dispersed peacefully.

The demonstration highlights growing public frustration in areas where prolonged electricity shortages continue to disrupt livelihoods, particularly in rural communities that depend on power for small-scale industries and essential daily activities.