Bangladesh Power Snafu: A Blackout Blitz
On Tuesday, Oct 4, a massive grid glitch left a huge chunk of Bangladesh in the dark. Sussex‑sized numbers are playing yo‑yo here: 75‑80% of the country went black, and electricity was only slowly creeping back in some areas.
How It Happened
- What & When – At roughly 2 p.m. local time (4 p.m. Singapore time), the power network faltered, triggering nationwide outages.
- Who’s Investigating – Power Development Board chief Shameem Hasan is on the case, digging into the root cause.
- Current Status – About 45% of the affected regions have seen power return, but the full restore timeline remains fuzzy.
Why It Feels Like a Ticking Time Bomb
- Gas‑Heavy Dependence – 75% of Bangladesh’s electricity comes from imported natural gas, a figure that’s been clashing with the country’s soaring demand.
- Global Shockwaves – With Russia’s war in Ukraine jacking up global gas prices, Bangladesh had to ration supplies, leaving over a third of its 77 gas‑powered units short on fuel.
- Budget Crunch – The government is pledging frugal spending after last year’s record fiscal deficit.
The Math Behind the Madness
Peak demand on that Tuesday hit a 3% bump against the 13,800 MW forecast—there’s a clear mismatch between what folks are pulling from plug vs. what the grid can supply. That’s the classic recipe: spike in usage plus supply hiccups = grid failure.
What’s Next?
Officials are scrambling to pin down the fault and stitch back the system. Stay tuned—the next power‑up may come sooner than you think, or it might be a long wait for the glow-up. Either way, Bangladesh’s electricity curve is about to get a real plot twist.
Garment factories hit
Bangladesh’s Fabric‑Factory Frenzy Gets Stuck on the Switch
When the lights went out in Bangladesh’s buzzing export‑oriented garment sector, the world’s second‑biggest clothing exporter (after China) hit a snag that left huge factories turning in slow‑motion.
The Shuts‑Down Shuffle
- “To cope with the (power) crisis, we’ve been running generators. Today’s outage caught us off‑guard. We had to shut our offices because generators can’t run forever.” — Shahidullah Azim, Vice President of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association.
- Azim told Reuters, “We can’t run factories without power.” He added that the industry’s 4,500 factories nationwide rely on a steady electricity supply to keep wrists moving and clothes snatching onto shelves at Walmart, Gap, H&M, VF Corp, Zara, and American Eagle Outfitters.
Minister’s Warning
Zunaid Ahmed Palak, a junior minister, posted on Facebook: “It’s risky to restore power with a heavy load.” The power grid’s demand spikes in the evenings as workers and families return home, with the residential sector growing faster than ever in recent years.
“It’s All‑On‑The Line”
Palak promised, “When the system’s stability is satisfactory, the power lines of all areas in Dhaka will be activated. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience.”
Mobile May Get a Break
The Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh warned that the national power outage could ripple into mobile and internet service disruptions across the country.
