Angry demonstrators attacked REB offices in Tangail and Chittagong and damaged equipment protesting load shedding for hours together.

In Satkhira, Hindus are also protesting the power outage, saying they are concerned about security at puja mandaps during long hours of darkness.

Our Tangail Correspondent reports: Protesting frequent load shedding, agitated people ransacked the REB (Rural Electrification Board) office in Basail Saturday evening and damaged valuable equipment and documents.

They alleged that 5 to 7 hours' load shedding paralysed life in Basail upazila. Power outage in the evening is a usual phenomenon.

The local people had earlier appealed to the REB officials at the upazila to ensure smooth power supply during the month of Ramadan.

As the situation did not improve, over 200 people brought out a procession after Iftar and attacked the Basail of REB office. They ransacked the office, damaged windowpanes, furniture, two motorbikes, one telephone set and official documents.

Being informed, Basail thana police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control.

Later, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) of Tangail Kazi Faizol Hossen visited the spot.

REB Engineer Guljar Hossen filed a case against the attackers with Basail police station.

On the same day, people went to the REB office at Delduar upazila in a procession demanded smooth power supply at least during Ifter, Tarabee prayer and Shehri.

They also threatened of tougher agitation if the situation does not improve.

Local people alleged that once gone, power does not return in 3-4 hours.

Local Power Development Board (PDB) sources said only 25-35 MW power is supplied against a demand for 71 MW in tangail.

Our Staff Correspondent reports from Chittagong:

Load shedding of about 50 MW power continued in the port city through the Raozan Unit-2 resumed generation on Sunday. Frequent power outage during the Ramadan triggered violent demonstrations indifferent areas of the city since the beginning of Ramadan.

Power outage during Ifter on Saturday triggered an attack by local people on the New Mooring power distribution station in Bandar thana.

On Friday, demonstrators attacked power sub-stations at Sholoshahar and Kalurghat protesting load shedding during the Tarabih prayer.

The demonstrators ransacked the sub-stations, damaged

eight vehicles of Power Development Board (PDB), PDB sources said.

Sources said the power supply situation worsened in the port city after the Raozan Unit- 2 tripped due to technical glitch Wednesday morning.

The demand for power in Chittagong is about 450 MW. Total power generation in Chittagong region was 275 MW on Friday. Of this, Raozan Unit-1 generated 100 MW, three units of Kaptai hydroelectric power plant provided 125 MW while some 40 MW was available from Shikolbaha thermal power plant and 10 MW from Shikolbaha barge mounted plant.

Another 100 MW was supplied from the National Grid raising the total supply to 375 MW.

Our Satkhira Correspondent reports: The holy month of Ramadan began in the district with long hours of power outage.

The demand for power in the district is about 32 mw but the supply is only about half of it, PDB sources said.

They said the power supply situation deteriorated as four generation units in the region are out of order.

Besides creating sufferings to people, the power crisis is also affecting industries and forex-earning fish processing units.

Apart from urban areas, subscribers in Kaligong, Debhata, Assassuni, Tala, Kalaroa and Shyamnagar upazilas held demonstrations in the last three days demanding smooth power supply, reports reaching here said.

People came out on streets and rampaged RED offices at Jhhowdanga in the Sadar upazila, Gazirhat in Debhata and in Shyamnagar, Patkelghata and Kalaroa upazila headquarters.

Several thousands people laid a siege to the Satkhira PDB office last month, but the situation did not improve.

Over 150 Small industries, 49 fish processing plants, 98 ice factories and Sundarban Textile mill Ltd, the lone big industry of the district, are facing closure due to power crisis, sources said.

Devotees came out of Palashpole Jame Mosque and Katia Mosque after Tarabi prayers on Sunday night and brought out processions.

Leaders of Puja Udjapan Parishad also expressed grave concern at frequent power outage. "We feel insecure fearing that criminals may attack puja mandaps taking the advantage of darkness", said Monoranjan Mukherjee President of Satkhira District Puja Udjapan Parishad.