As Dhaka suffers endemic load shedding, candle-makers smile

Staff Correspondent: Demand for candles has skyrocketed with the recent endemic load shedding in Dhaka as well as across the country. Frequent load shedding, which is causing public sufferings, has, however, revived candle factories – putting smiles on the faces of those involved with this business.
Haji Monir, owner of a candle factory in Dhaka’s Kamrangirchar, said that they usually get more orders for candles during religious events and festivals. However, due to the rise in both frequency and duration of load shedding over the past few months, demand for candles has increased significantly.
“There were ten candle factories in this area, but only my factory is in production now,” he added. Due to the price hike of raw materials, price of candles has almost doubled.
Now a candle is sold at Tk 10, which was sold at Tk 5 earlier, Haji Monir said.
On July 18, the government decided to enforce a nationwide, staggered area-based load shedding, as the country faces a fuel crunch disrupting power generation.
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina said her government is bound to carry out load shedding and limit electricity production as fuel prices are continuously increasing globally due to the Russia-Ukraine war, urging countrymen to be patient with the situation.
On October 11, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid urged people to be patient during the ongoing power crisis that has triggered 5-6 hour long daily load shedding in and outside Dhaka city.
He said the people have to wait until November for the power supply situation to improve.
Prime Minister’s Energy Advisor DrTawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury on October 16 said there is no immediate solution to the ongoing load shedding in Dhaka, as the government has reduced the import of primary fuel to conserve foreign currency reserves.
Residents of some Dhaka areas experienced power cuts for up to eight hours on Monday.