Power supply of all the power plants across the country has been suspended, says PDCB director
An unusual power outage has taken over the entire country since 11:30am on Saturday.
The nationally important establishments like Bangabhaban, Ganabhaban, Prime Minister’s Office and the National Parliament are also out of power since then.
However, Dhaka Medical College Hospital and Shahjalal International Airport are operating their activities in alternative arrangements.
Power Grid Company of Bangladesh Director Chowdhury Alamgir Hossain told the Dhaka Tribune that the power failure occured because the national grid collapsed.
He said the High Voltage DC substation at Bheramara in Kushtia shut down due to technical glitch in the morning. The blackout hit around noon and covered all parts of the country connected to the national grid as other power stations near it started closing down one after another.
The country has been hit with an electricity blackout after a transmission line bringing power through the High Voltage DC substation from neighboring India failed, he added.
Bangladesh began importing electricity from India last October 2013 through a 400-kilovolt transmission line that runs from Baharampur in the Indian state of West Bengal to the southwestern Bangladesh town of Bheramara.
However, one power plant in Mymensingh and another in Sylhet resumed operation around 1pm.
“At the moment we cannot say how much time it will take to resume full speed power supply across the country,” said the PGCB director.
State Minister for Power Nasrul Hamid said: “We are investigating the reason for the power cut. A probe committee will be formed soon to look into the matter.
“Power supply has been started in some areas of the country. I hope the entire country will get back normal supply of electricity within four to five hours.”
While talking to our DMCH Correspondent Aminul Islam Babu, Deputy Director of the hospital Dr Mushfiqur Rahman said all the operation theatres in DMCH except one are open.
However, patients at DMCH wards are suffering as power supply remained suspended there as well.
While talking to our Special Correspondent Zahidul Islam, Director (PR, Communications) of Shahjalal International Airport Rezaul Karim said airport activities are normal as they have enough back up of power.
source:DT