Power outages bite into SMEs, deepening economic strain23 Apr 2026 06:59
Most of the press are pushing the same message, power shortages:
Frequent and prolonged power outages across rural areas are taking a heavy toll on businesses, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs), disrupting production cycles, inflating operating costs, and eroding the incomes of both entrepreneurs and workers.
Business owners in districts across Rangpur, Rajshahi, Khulna, and Habiganj say they are facing load shedding for as long as seven to eight hours a day. The erratic electricity supply has forced many factories, workshops, and processing units to either suspend operations or run at significantly reduced capacity.
This is happening as the country grapples with a severe energy crisis triggered by global fuel supply disruptions. A sudden decline in fuel supply has led to a drop in electricity generation, forcing the government to resort to power rationing.
Average peak-hour power shortages have exceeded 1,500 megawatts (MW) a day over the past two weeks, causing widespread load shedding, particularly in rural areas, according to data from the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) and the Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (REB).
SMEs engaged in agro-processing, rice milling, cold storage, light engineering, workshops, poultry feed production, and cottage industries are among the worst affected. These sectors are highly dependent on uninterrupted power to maintain continuous production and preserve raw materials.
https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/stock/power-outages-bite-into-smes-deepening-economic-strain
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