Due to sudden return of load shedding some areas of the capital remain without electricity for at least one hour to the highest six to eight hours. As a result, the use of IPS, charger lights and fans, which were on the verge of extinction in the last decade, is also returning.
With people searching for alternative ways to escape from heat and load shedding, recently the sales of these products have gone up. Solar panels and generators are not behind in this competition. Their prices are also increasing gradually.
Even at the beginning of the 21st century, candles were burning in almost every house. In the course of time, IPS has occupied that place. As the country is self-sufficient in electricity, the people of the country forgot IPS along with candles.
A good number of buyers of these products were seen in several electronics shops in BaitulMukarram,
Nawabpur and Malibagh of the capital Dhaka. They are buying rechargeable fan-lights, coolers, IPS and solar.
A trader based in Nawabpur told this journalist that almost every person is suffering from load shedding.
So they are coming to buy a charger fan. However, sales of these products have gone up, they
acknowledged.
However, buyers’ claim that by using the opportunity some traders have already increased the price of
these products. This has added another dimension to their woes.
Besides, people are looking for generators but due to the high price of diesel, petrol, octane, kerosene
they are finally switching to largely IPS and chargers based solutions.
Another said that when the government made the announcement, sales of these products have
increased. But the product is not available against the demand as imports are low. In this situation,
importers refused to comment on the allegations.
In the last two weeks, the price of some products has increased by Tk 1000. A Chinese charger fan was
Tk 3000 six months ago, now it has to be bought for Tk 4500. Some traders said that the demand for
these products increases every year from March. It decreases in July-August following the change of
season.
To keep these product prices stable, the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection conducts regular drives to different markets.
