National grid line trips as blackout plunges Sylhet into darkness

The power supply has been compromised in all areas due to a grid line tripping, says PDB Sylhet zone chief engineer

A significant power outage has struck Sylhet division after a national grid line tripped, causing disruptions across all four districts.

A blackout occurred sometime after 8:30pm on Saturday, with electricity being restored in some places after an hour.

Power plants in Sylhet, including Ashuganj, were shut down, leading to widespread outages, Power Development Board (PDB) Sylhet Chief Engineer Abdul Kadir said at 9:20pm.

The power supply has been compromised in all areas due to a grid line tripping, and it will take time for normalcy to return, he said.

He, however, added that essential places like medical facilities still have electricity.

Power was restored in some vital areas of Sylhet city around 9:30pm.

Labib Ahmed, a resident of the Goabari area, expressed frustration, saying: "After returning from a long day at work, I was greeted by darkness. The sweltering heat and mosquitoes only worsened our discomfort."

He also voiced concerns over the impact of the outage on his nephews' education, highlighting their struggle with heat and lack of light for studying.

"My nephews couldn't study at the table due to the heat and lack of electricity. They have a lot of homework for tomorrow. If these power outages continue, we'll struggle to cope," Labib said, noting that electricity returned around 9:30pm.

Monzoor Morshed, executive engineer at Bangladesh Power Development Board's Habiganj zone, said around 10:30pm that the entire area faced electricity shortages due to grid issues.

He added that electricity is now being rationed, with one-hour power cuts in different areas.

ABM Mezanur Rahman, general manager of Moulvibazar Palli Biddut Somitee, said that there was no electricity for about 45-50 minutes from 7:45pm due to grid problems.

However, a journalist from Sunamganj district town said around 11pm that electricity was available there, though there were occasional power cuts.