The demand leaped to 3,465mw yesterday from Friday's 3,300mw, sources at the Power Development Board said. The target power generation of plants across the country was 2,812mw yesterday.

The largest power plant AES 450mw Meghnaghat remained shut from Tuesday due to technical glitch. The plant is expected to resume operation within a couple of days.

Another major plant, the Ghorashal 210mw unit yesterday got back to operation after a three-day's break. But its presence could not be felt against the soaring demand yesterday.

But power experts said that real supply shortfall is much higher than the official estimate and that city-dwellers are going feel it as the mercury crossed 33 degrees Celsius already.

"We have a policy to keep Dhaka out of load-shedding, making places outside capital share shortfall of power," said a PDB source. "But since the irrigation season is going on, we are compelled to ensure less interrupted supply to the North Bengal region.

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