DHAKA, June 28, 2026 - Bangladesh is experiencing widespread load-shedding after two power plants were forced to suspend operations due to technical and operational problems, taking nearly 3,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity offline, Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood told Parliament on Sunday. Report UNB
Making a statement under Rule 300, the minister described the situation as a “national crisis” and urged the nation to remain united while authorities work to restore normal electricity generation.
“Let us all work together in a united manner to overcome this crisis. I hope the situation will improve within the next two days. Once conditions improve, the severity of load-shedding will decrease,” Mahmood said.
The minister did not disclose the names of the affected power plants but explained that one facility was shut down after a leak was detected in a boiler tube, requiring urgent maintenance.
The second plant has remained idle because rough weather in the Bay of Bengal has disrupted coal unloading operations, preventing the plant from generating electricity.
“As a result, nearly 3,000 megawatts of electricity have gone out of our transmission system,” the minister informed the House.
Mahmood said he had discussed the issue with Opposition Leader Dr. Shafiqur Rahman before making the parliamentary statement, highlighting the seriousness of the power crisis.
The sudden loss of generation capacity has made scheduled load-shedding unavoidable in different parts of the country, including the capital, Dhaka. The minister expressed hope that power generation would gradually return to normal within the next two days, easing the electricity shortages.
