Staff Reporter :
The government has banned illuminating shopping malls, buildings, social events, community centres, shops, offices, courts and homes for decorative purposes in a bid to save energy, and the order will remain in force until further notice.
The Cabinet Division has issued a notification in this regard on Thursday.
Earlier in the day, the Ministry of Power and Energy will recommend to the Ministry of Public Administration and other concerned ministries to reduce the weekly working hours and implement a work-from-home policy in a bid to save energy.
However, the restrictions so imposed, in the backdrop of spiraling fuel prices in the global market, will remain in force until further notice.
The decision came in the wake of the power disruptions across country following global energy crisis due to Russia-Ukraine war.
The shopping malls and social events need to be closed by 7 pm. Besides, if office hours are made 9am-3pm, electricity will be saved.
In the wake of the power disruptions across country, energy experts recommended that a proper and planned load management of the current energy supply could lessen the sufferings of the people.
Even the ongoing crisis could escalate if the uses of electricity go rampant.
Prime Minister’s Energy Adviser Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury told reporters at a press conference in the Prime Minister’s Office on Thursday.
He also expressed the hope that the existing power crisis will ease in the country by next September if all become careful in the use of electricity.
“Load shedding will not be more than 500 MW per day if all become frugal in power use, he said, adding that according to the data, 14,500 MW of electricity will be required daily till September if everyone becomes economical in using electricity and it will be possible to reduce this demand to 12,500 MW,” Tawfiq-e-Elahi said.
“The Russia-Ukraine war has created energy and power crisis in the country. This crisis has also occurred in other countries like Japan, Germany and Australia,” he added.
The adviser said, the use of air-conditioner (AC) in markets, shopping malls, mosques, offices and courts should be reduced to save electricity. The temperature of the AC should not be kept below 25 degrees, he added.
“The current situation is like a war. If we all work together, we will be able to overcome it,” he said and mentioned that the Prime Minister has asked everyone to be economical in electricity use for this reason.
He also said that action would be taken against those who use fuel and electricity illegally and do not pay their bills on time.
He said every effort is being made to produce new gas in the country.
Load-shedding returned as Bangladesh felt first stirrings of global energy crisis due to Russia-Ukraine war. It is not just a load-shedding of what happened a couple of years ago. It is a generation shortfall from lower-than-required supply of gas to power plants.
The government has also been unable to buy LNG from the spot market – where Bangladesh gets the bulk of its supplies – due to rising prices, with LNG price per unit crossing the $40 mark while it was last bought for $25. As a result, supply has dropped by 30 percent.
People in Bangladesh had first work-from-home experience when the Covid-19 pandemic broke out in the country in 2020. Now, they are about to go through the same drill this time for electricity crisis.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday urged people to cooperate as the government is forced to carry out load shedding and limit electricity generation with fuel prices continuously increasing globally due to the Russia-Ukraine war.
The premier asked authorities to prepare a routine area-wise specific time-based load-shedding routine across the country and urged countrymen to save power to the best of their ability.
She noted that her government is currently providing subsidies of Tk28,000 crore to the power sector.
PM Sheikh Hasina also called upon the countrymen to stop decorative lighting in different buildings, social programmes, community centres, shopping malls, shops, offices, and houses across the country aimed at saving power.
Meanwhile, many countries around the world are opting for reduced work hours in a bid to save energy.
France is working on measures aimed at reducing the country’s energy consumption by 10 percent over the next two years, amid concerns that suppliers could experience shortages this winter.
The bosses of France’s three biggest providers – Engie, EDF and TotalEnergies – already called for businesses and individuals to reduce their consumption last month, stating that: “Acting this summer will allow us to be better prepared to face winter and in particular to preserve our gas reserves.”
Pakistan will reduce its official work week to five days from six in a bid to reduce energy and fuel consumption as part of an energy conservation plan approved by the country’s cabinet on Tuesday.
The move comes as hours-long power outages hit the South Asian country, with demand outstripping generation during the peak summer months. Soaring global fuel prices have also increased pressure on the external account and the local currency has hit record lows against the dollar.
“We are facing a severe crisis… We desperately need to take energy conservation measures. We need to tap on every option to save on energy,” Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said at a press conference.
