The rural electricity supply system is facing a severe crisis as officials and staff from 80 Palli Bidyut Samitis (PBS) across the country began a mass leave from today, severely disrupting power distribution in numerous areas.
With repair and maintenance services halted due to the absence of PBS personnel, the power supply has already begun to collapse in several regions. At least 48 PBS units are currently experiencing electricity outages, affecting an estimated 15 million consumers nationwide.
Meanwhile, PBS officials and employees have been staging a sit-in protest at the Central Shaheed Minar for 14 consecutive days. Protest leaders have vowed to continue their demonstration until their demands are met.
Sources report that linemen are not working in multiple cooperatives, including Satkhira, Sylhet PBS-1 and 2, and Gaibandha. Since this morning, all operations by linemen of Chattogram-2 PBS have been suspended, resulting in several substations going offline. In Lakshmipur, linemen have ceased all work, and at the Bamna sub-zonal office under Pirojpur PBS, staff have vacated their stations, leaving no personnel available to respond to consumer complaints.
Local administrations have been officially notified of the worsening power crisis in various upazilas. In Chattogram’s Rangunia zonal office and PBS-2, frustrated consumers reportedly attacked local offices. The WASA 33 kV feeder and Rangunia-1 (Gochara) lines under PBS-2 remain completely shut down due to technical faults. As of 7 PM, no repairs had been undertaken due to the absence of maintenance crews.
Several PBS employees have reiterated their commitment to the protest. “We will return home only when our demands are fulfilled and we are allowed to resume work,” said one protester.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, several officials from the Rural Electrification Board (REB) suggested that the situation could be resolved through sincere dialogue. They criticized what they described as a “rigid stance” by senior government and REB leadership, which they say is exacerbating the crisis and causing immense hardship for rural consumers.