Power Outage Disrupts DEPZ Operations, 100,000 Workers Placed on Leave
Gas Supply Cut Due to Unpaid Bills, Confirms Titas Official
Power Outage Paralyzes DEPZ Operations, 100,000 Workers Sent Home
Production at the Dhaka Export Processing Zone (DEPZ) in Ashulia, Savar, ground to a halt on Monday afternoon after a sudden power outage, forcing nearly 90 factories to release around 100,000 workers.
DEPZ authorities stated that the disruption occurred when United Power, the company responsible for providing uninterrupted electricity to the zone, was unable to continue operations after its gas connection was severed by Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited. The power cut began around 1:10 PM, cutting the zone off from the power grid.
The gas disconnection, Titas officials explained, was carried out under government orders due to long-standing unpaid bills. “The gas connection was disconnected because of unpaid bills. This was a decision from higher authorities,” said Abu Saleh Muhammad Khademuddin, manager engineer at Titas’ Ashulia Regional Office.
United Power, however, disputed the action, claiming they received no prior notice and were unaware of any legal disputes. “There is no gas pressure, and we were not informed about the disconnection. As far as we know, there are no pending legal matters,” said Md Momtaz Hasan, manager at the United Power Plant.
The outage prompted factory managers across DEPZ to grant workers leave, sparking fears of greater disruption if power is not restored by Tuesday. DEPZ Executive Director Md Shariful Islam expressed deep concern, warning that prolonged downtime could lead to worker unrest and serious financial losses for foreign investors operating within the zone. “We are facing a major crisis. If this continues into Tuesday, the situation could deteriorate further,” he said, criticizing the lack of prior notification regarding the disconnection.
In an effort to maintain essential operations and security, DEPZ authorities—assisted by Palli Bidyut—have managed to keep streetlights and internal lighting operational. While the zone requires 45 megawatts of electricity, Palli Bidyut has pledged to supply 25 megawatts temporarily.
Located in Ashulia Thana of Savar Upazila, DEPZ is home to around 90 operational factories, including garment and manufacturing units, employing an estimated 100,000 workers.
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