At least 15 people were injured in a clash between the police and locals at Daudkandi in Comilla as a mob attacked local Palli Bidyut office while in Khulna, several hundred people besieged a power supply station on Friday night protesting frequent power outages.

Meanwhile in Barisal, Power Development Board (PDB) sent letters to all puja mandaps in the city yesterday conveying its incapability to supply extra power during puja nights that shocked and created resentment among the Hindus.

Several hundred people at Daudkandi outraged by erratic power supply and load shedding for the last two days came out of their houses at about 9:00pm and stormed the Palli Bidyut office at the upazila headquarters, reports UNB.

The police later charged batons on the demonstrators to bring the situation under control and injured four. The mob ransacked and damaged the power office at one stage.

The injured are Suman, 25, Masud, 20, Sharif, 27, and Jabbar, 18.

Our staff correspondent in Khulna reports, the demonstrators under the banner of Biddyut Adhikar Sangram Parishad laid siege to the power station for 10 minutes before law enforcers dispersed them.

Khulna Power Station (KPS) at Goalpara and all 12 substations in the city were already on high alert from Friday morning and beefed up security in apprehension of eruption of violence due to the ongoing power outages.

According to our sources at West Zone Power Distribution Company Limited (WZPDCL), 21 districts under Khulna Zone (Khulna and Barisal divisions and greater Faridpur) were getting only 220 megawatts (MW) of power against the demand for 513 MW during peak hours on Friday. One-third of the total demand was supplied to Khulna city alone.

Our Barisal correspondent reports, PDB had sent letters to each puja mandap in Barisal city expressing their incapability to supply extra power required during puja nights and requested them to shut down extra and decorative lightings at night.

The letters shocked the Hindu community and created resentment. They said such a decision should not have been taken after all preparations for illumination have been completed.

Severe power crisis continued in the entire southwestern zone of the country including Barisal as only one fourth of the demand is being supplied to Barisal from the national grid, aggrieved consumers alleged.

In Barisal city, power demand has almost doubled due to Ramadan and puja over the usual peak-hour demand of about 60 to 70 MW. Currently, Barisal is receiving only 15 to 25 MW from the national grid.