Residents of non-Bengali camps in Nilphamari’s Syedpur staged a protest by blocking a road to demand an uninterrupted power supply. During the demonstration, they brought chairs and tables and sat on the road for approximately five hours.

From Wednesday (June 3) morning, residents of camps 1, 2, and 3 in the town’s Golahat area observed the blockade program in their respective areas. Later, around 1:30 PM, they cleared the road upon receiving assurances from power division officials.

During an on-the-spot visit on Wednesday afternoon, hundreds of male and female protesters were seen demonstrating on the street. Consequently, hundreds of vehicles were stranded on the Golahat section of the vital Tamanna-to-WAPDA road in Syedpur town, causing severe suffering to ordinary passengers. Many expressed their frustration over the situation.

Jasim, Babu, Sairun, Wajiron, Shahin, and other residents of Golahat Camp 2 stated that for the past month, the electricity has been going out every day around 6:00 AM and returning around 4:00 PM or 5:00 PM. Even when the power returns, frequent load shedding continues. They said, “Living in this sweltering heat has become agonizing. Many elderly people in the densely populated camp have fallen ill. Children are also gasping for breath. We want a proper solution to this.”

Sarwari, Hasibun, Niaz, and other residents of Golahat Camp 1 stated that they did not take to the streets intentionally; they were forced to protest due to the circumstances. According to them, there are 23 non-Bengali camps in Syedpur town. “But why is this electricity problem confined only to the Golahat camp? The other camps do not face such issues. So why are we being kept without electricity? We want a proper answer to this.”

Protesters Akbar, Siam, Rashid, Halima, Jorina Begum, and others complained, “Our importance increases during elections. At that time, everyone comes to ask for votes with various promises. But during this time of suffering, no one can be found by our side. Without electricity, elderly people are falling ill in every household. That is why we are protesting even in this scorching sun.”

On the other hand, several stranded passengers, including Jiarul and Faruq, stated that demands should not be realized by inflicting suffering on the general public. “We have stepped out for urgent work, but we cannot reach our destinations because the road is closed. Demands should be presented to those who are responsible for them. Taking the public hostage by blocking the road is unacceptable.”

Camp Development Committee President Majid Iqbal said, “We have had discussions with senior officials of the power division regarding this issue. They informed us that the problem is occurring due to excessive electricity consumption. In particular, electric heaters are being used extensively in the camps. If this can be controlled, the load will decrease, and power outages will also drop.”

Addressing the matter, Alimul Islam Selim, an engineer at the Syedpur office of power supplier NESCO PLC, said, “Transformers with a capacity of 200 KVA have been installed in those camps, just like in other areas. However, getting it for free, electricity is being consumed far beyond the designated limit. The use of high-capacity electrical appliances, including electric heaters, in almost every household is creating an excessive load. Consequently, it is becoming difficult to maintain a normal power supply. Users must also be conscious about their electricity consumption. If normal and limited usage can be ensured, the question of load shedding or power outages will not arise at all.”