They also called for development of power sector and raising awareness about efficient use of electricity to prevent frequent power outages.

The Forum for Energy Reporters, Bangladesh organised the roundtable on 'Present power crisis and government's preparedness' at the Cirdap auditorium.

"Investment is not the only solution," said State Minister for Power Iqbal Hasan Mahmud.

"Eight hundred MW of electricity can be saved if proper load management can be ensured during the peak hours -- from 6.00pm to 11.00pm," he said and sought cooperation of the consumers in this regard.

Frugal use of electricity by the consumers can help avoid power crisis, he added.

The state minister said if the shopping centres in the city can be divided into seven zones with the markets of each zone keeping their shutters down on a particular day of the week by turn, 200 to 250 MW electricity can be saved.

Mahmud also suggested keeping the markets close after 7.00pm but Shop Owners' Association President Amir Hossain Khan did not agree with him, saying that evening is the peak hour for sales as the city dwellers usually go for shopping at that time.

The state minister also blamed illegal power connections and excess use of electricity for the power crisis.

He said 99.5 percent of consumers use more electricity than they are entitled to.

He also disclosed long- and short-term schemes to turn the Power Development Board (PDB) into a holding company and set up five power distribution companies in and outside Dhaka.

PDB Chairman S A Muyeed said the PDB could not generate more power to meet the growing demand due to some technical difficulties.

In summer, the daily demand for power jumps to 3600 MW some time, he said.

Dhaka Electric Supply Authority chairperson Brigadier General M A Rab Mozammel Haq MP, Tofazzal Hossain of BGMEA, Javed Iqbal of FICCI, Golam Kibria of Biswa Sahitya Kendra, and journalist Molla Amjad Hossain also spoke.

Journalist Badiul Alam presided .