<p>Large swathes of Bangladesh were left without electricity on Tuesday after a partial grid failure, a government official said, adding that authorities were working to gradually restore power supply in the country of 168 million people.</p>.<p>The country's power grid malfunctioned at around 2 pm (0800 GMT) on Tuesday, leading to blackouts across 75-80 per cent of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Power Development Board official Shameem Hasan told <em>Reuters</em>.</p>.<p>"We are trying to restore the system," Hasan said, adding that utilities were currently producing around 4,500 megawatts (MW)of power, compared to nationwide demand of 14,200 MW.</p>.<p>An investigation is under way to ascertain the reason for the grid's collapse, Hasan said.</p>.<p>Bangladesh's peak power demand on Tuesday was 3 per cent higher than the 13,800 MW forecast earlier this week by the Bangladesh Power Development Board, according to government data.</p>.<p>"Hopefully within three hours, power supply will be restored in Dhaka," Junior Power Minister Nasrul Hamid said, referring to Bangladesh's capital city that is home to some 20 million people.</p>.<p>Many parts of Bangladesh have been facing frequent power cuts this year despite efforts to ration gas supplies amid high global natural gas prices.</p>.<p>Natural gas accounts for nearly three quarters of the country's power generation.</p>.<p>Over a third of the 77 gas-powered units in Bangladesh were facing a gas shortage, government data showed on Tuesday.</p>.<p>Power demand growth in Bangladesh in recent years has largely been driven by the residential segment, compared with industries. </p>
<p>Large swathes of Bangladesh were left without electricity on Tuesday after a partial grid failure, a government official said, adding that authorities were working to gradually restore power supply in the country of 168 million people.</p>.<p>The country's power grid malfunctioned at around 2 pm (0800 GMT) on Tuesday, leading to blackouts across 75-80 per cent of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Power Development Board official Shameem Hasan told <em>Reuters</em>.</p>.<p>"We are trying to restore the system," Hasan said, adding that utilities were currently producing around 4,500 megawatts (MW)of power, compared to nationwide demand of 14,200 MW.</p>.<p>An investigation is under way to ascertain the reason for the grid's collapse, Hasan said.</p>.<p>Bangladesh's peak power demand on Tuesday was 3 per cent higher than the 13,800 MW forecast earlier this week by the Bangladesh Power Development Board, according to government data.</p>.<p>"Hopefully within three hours, power supply will be restored in Dhaka," Junior Power Minister Nasrul Hamid said, referring to Bangladesh's capital city that is home to some 20 million people.</p>.<p>Many parts of Bangladesh have been facing frequent power cuts this year despite efforts to ration gas supplies amid high global natural gas prices.</p>.<p>Natural gas accounts for nearly three quarters of the country's power generation.</p>.<p>Over a third of the 77 gas-powered units in Bangladesh were facing a gas shortage, government data showed on Tuesday.</p>.<p>Power demand growth in Bangladesh in recent years has largely been driven by the residential segment, compared with industries. </p>