Frequent transformer thefts are worsening Feni’s electricity supply problems, adding to the hardship already caused by regular load-shedding across the district. At least 100 transformers have reportedly been stolen from different areas of Feni between January and 10 August this year, with Feni Sadar and Chhagalnaiya recording the highest number of incidents.
According to Feni Palli Bidyut Samity Assistant General Manager (Administration) Abdul Awal, 58 transformers were stolen in Feni Sadar during the period, while Chhagalnaiya accounted for 36. Three thefts were reported in Parshuram, two in Sonagazi and one in Daganbhuiyan. No transformer theft was reported in Fulgazi during the same period.
The repeated thefts are creating serious disruption because replacing a stolen transformer can take time. Residents in affected areas are often forced to remain without electricity for several days, causing particular difficulties during the intense August heat. Household activities are disrupted, while businesses and industrial establishments face interruptions to production, sales and storage operations.
The impact can be especially severe for businesses handling perishable goods. Poultry operators and other enterprises that depend on uninterrupted electricity may suffer substantial financial losses when power remains unavailable for extended periods.
Residents of North Kuhuma village recently experienced the consequences first-hand after a 25-kilovolt-ampere transformer serving a local mosque was stolen. The theft left the mosque and 63 families without electricity. Local resident Ismail Mithun said customers deposited Tk 81,000 with the electricity office towards the installation of a replacement transformer. Power was restored on the afternoon of 10 August.
Industrial meter customer Alauddin said delays in replacing stolen transformers disrupt both production and commercial activity. For businesses dealing with perishable goods, even a relatively short interruption can result in significant losses.
The financial responsibility for replacement transformers has also become a source of dissatisfaction among customers. Feni Palli Bidyut Samity General Manager Muhammad Nurul Hossain said that under existing rules, customers must bear half the cost of a replacement transformer if it is stolen for the first time. If the transformer belonging to the same customer is stolen again, the customer is required to bear the full replacement cost.
Officials say cases are being filed with the police after each theft, while public announcements are being made to increase awareness among customers. Police have also taken action against suspected members of the theft network.
Feni Superintendent of Police Pratyush Kumar Majumdar said several cases had been filed at different police stations in connection with transformer thefts. A number of suspects had been arrested and stolen wires recovered. He said an organised group was believed to be involved and that police operations to identify and apprehend its members were continuing.
Transformers are particularly vulnerable because thieves can remove them from electricity poles under cover of darkness and later dismantle them to extract valuable coils and copper wiring. Such theft therefore causes damage far beyond the loss of a single piece of electrical equipment, disrupting electricity supplies to entire communities.
With load-shedding already affecting consumers, the continuing thefts are adding another layer of pressure to Feni’s power distribution system. Residents are calling for stronger local surveillance, better protection of vulnerable electrical infrastructure and faster replacement of stolen equipment. Without effective preventive measures and a quicker restoration process, both public hardship and economic losses could continue to grow.
