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Khulna, April 26, 2025 – A major failure in the national power grid caused widespread blackouts across 15 districts in southern Bangladesh on Saturday, leaving residents in distress amid intense heat. The outage, reported at 5:50 PM, affected areas under the West Zone Power Distribution Company (WZPDC), including Khulna, Barisal, Satkhira, Bagerhat, and Jessore.
WZPDC sources confirmed that the grid disruption led to a complete power shutdown in the affected districts. Power restoration began in some areas after 7:00 PM, but many locations remained without electricity until 8:30 PM or later. The blackout plunged the southern region into darkness, compounding the challenges of extreme temperatures.
Tanvir Ahmed, a student at Northern University in Khulna, shared his experience from Moylapota Mor: “The power went out after 5:30 PM. It briefly returned at 7:50 PM but went off again at 8:16 PM. There was no electricity until at least 8:30 PM.” Mazharul Islam, a resident of Rupsa Upazila in Khulna, added, “The outage started in the afternoon and lasted until 8:30 PM. The heat made it unbearable.”
In Satkhira’s Tala Upazila, Shubho Bishwas reported, “We’ve had no power since the afternoon. Even by 8:30 PM, electricity hadn’t returned, and the heat has been torturous.”
Md. Abdul Majid, WZPDC’s Executive Director (Operations), told Dhaka Post that the outage resulted from a fault in a 400 kV transmission line between Dhaka’s Amin Bazar and Gopalganj. “The fault disrupted power supply in 15 districts, including Khulna, Barisal, and Faridpur, for roughly 75 minutes,” he said. By 8:00 PM, electricity was restored in most parts of Khulna and Barisal, with full restoration expected soon.
The incident underscores the fragility of Bangladesh’s power infrastructure, prompting calls for immediate action to prevent future disruptions.
AI/MR
