By MD BAYAZID SHEIKH

A sleepless night in suffocating heat. The rhythmic, weary sound of a hand fan lulls an exhausted mother’s heavy eyelids, yet the whimpering cries of the infant nestled beside her remain unabated. Meanwhile, facing an important examination the next morning, an adolescent student strains their eyes in the dim glow of a candle or emergency light, desperately attempting to fix their gaze on the pages of a textbook. This scene is a painful and all too familiar narrative unfolding across almost every corner of Bangladesh, from bustling cities to remote villages. In modern civilization, electricity is neither a luxury nor a mere comfort; it has become as indispensable as the air we breathe. Yet, the persistent gloom of load-shedding has entangled our daily lives, emotions, and economy. When the citizens of a nation cannot find a peaceful night's rest after a long day's toil, the suffering does not remain confined to the individual it deeply damages the collective psyche and productivity of the entire country.

Even as we step forward with confidence on the journey toward a 'Smart Bangladesh', the wheels of our productive economy are grinding to a halt due to the lack of uninterrupted power. From small rural farm owners and sweat-soaked garment factory workers to busy urban shopkeepers, an unspoken apprehension lingers on every face. On one hand, the brutal impact of the global energy crisis; on the other, internal mismanagement, system losses, ill-planned agreements, and the shadow of corruption have brought ordinary people to the brink of despair. When irrigation pumps on agricultural lands sit idle due to power outages, it is not merely the crops that wither away, but the very livelihood and dreams of the farmer. When industrial production halts, the consequences strike directly at the nation's export earnings and the bread-and-butter of hardworking laborers. This is a vicious cycle whose dismantling is not merely urgent, but an absolute national imperative.

In discussing this multifaceted power crisis, we often overlook or sidestep our legal rights. According to Article 15 of the Constitution of Bangladesh, ensuring the fundamental necessities of life for its citizens is one of the state's core responsibilities. Furthermore, our rights as consumers are clearly defined. Under the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) Act, 2003, consumers have the legal right to receive quality electricity at fair and reasonable prices. Yet in reality, when power remains elusive day after day while inflated 'ghost bills' arrive at month's end, it is natural for the public to question the application and effectiveness of this law. Paying for continuous service only to be deprived of it constitutes a glaring violation of the Consumer Rights Protection Act, 2009. The institutional accountability mechanisms required to address service deficits remain exceedingly weak in our country. A matter of even graver concern is the indemnity granted under the 'Quick Enhancement of Electricity and Energy Supply (Special Provisions) Act, 2010'. According to many legal and economic experts, this legal immunity has stood as a major roadblock against establishing transparency and accountability in the energy sector. Uncompetitive, non-transparent contracts forged under the shield of this legislation have burdened the national economy with long-term financial liabilities.

Is there no way out of this impenetrable darkness? Certainly, there is. Achieving it requires, above all, political will from the state, strict enforcement of the law, and visionary, sustainable planning. In the context of Bangladesh, a revolution in renewable energy can serve as the brightest beacon out of this crisis. Successful precedents in our country are not scarce. The 'Solar Home System' initiative is a prime example. The pioneering success witnessed through the Infrastructure Development Company Limited (IDCOL) in delivering solar energy to millions of rural households must now be scaled up on a larger, technologically advanced canvas. In remote river islands and coastal regions such as Sandwip or parts of Kutubdia where grid connectivity was once deemed impossible solar panels and wind turbines have fundamentally transformed daily life. These success stories can guide our path. By deploying extensive rooftop solar arrays across government installations, industrial buildings, and utilizing uncultivable fallow lands, we can substantially diminish our perilous dependency on imported fossil fuels.

Simultaneously, establishing legal transparency and renegotiating unfair contracts are pressing imperatives of our time. Power purchase agreements with rental and quick rental plants must be brought under thorough legal scrutiny and reassessed. Repealing the controversial indemnity law to institute open, competitive bidding is essential. The government must adopt a zero-tolerance policy against corruption and ensure that BERC functions as an autonomous, robust regulatory authority. Moreover, by implementing smart grids and advanced metering infrastructure, power theft and technical transmission losses can be minimized toward zero. Alongside structural reforms, citizens must also act responsibly. We must discard the culture of wastage, such as keeping lights or air conditioners running unnecessarily during the day.

The lifeblood of an independent and progressive nation lies in its energy security. The agony of living in darkness, the sleepless nights of an anxious mother worrying over her child's health and future, and the sweat-stained pages of a student's book serve as constant reminders that we have not yet reached our desired destination. Yet, we must not succumb to despair. Through the robust enforcement of legal frameworks, the maximized and strategic adoption of renewable energy, and the united, sincere efforts of both the government and the citizenry, this gloom will inevitably dissipate. Our steadfast hope remains that a gentle dawn will soon break over Bangladesh one free from the nightmare of load-shedding, where uninterrupted illumination brightens every life, every home, and every promising aspiration.

MD BAYAZID SHEIKH,

The writer is a Legal Researcher