Countrywide electricity load shedding has intensified with the execution of once a week area-based holiday staggering in industrial zones, it has been alleged.
The government implemented the fresh area-based rationing programme from Friday to minimise consumption of both natural gas and electricity.
Clients alleged that state-run distribution companies are failing to carry out the government's order to execute daily one-hour area-based scheduled load shedding worsening public sufferings.
Although load-shedding schedule is better in some city areas most of the city-dwellers, especially in Paltan, Mirpur, Gabtoli and Jatrabari areas, have witnessed the load-shedding two to three times daily, they alleged.
Load-shedding in some rural areas across the country is terrible as they are undergoing multiple hours of load shedding daily, said sources.
Most of the power distribution companies are yet to send short message service (SMSs) to clients over load shedding schedules defying a government instruction.
It seems that the government's measures for a planned load shedding schedule went haphazard.
Under an ongoing austerity measure, all the diesel-fired power plants are now shut and load shedding is being implemented officially from July 19 this year to reduce diesel imports and save foreign currency.
Markets and shopping malls are now allowed to stay open until 8:00pm.
The government also prohibited illumination in different social gatherings in community centers, shopping malls, shops, offices and houses since July 7.
Previously on April 12, the government had imposed a four-hour gas rationing for industries from 5:00pm to 9:00pm daily to save natural gas.
Although the initial decision was to continue gas rationing for 15 days, the government backed down and withdrew it after 10 days of its execution amid protests from business enterprises.
