Charger fans, IPS sales soar in Ctg as power cuts intensify amid heatwave
Chattogram facing 300MW to 350MW electricity shortfall every day
Port city dwellers are rushing to electronic shops to purchase electricity backups and battery-run cooling devices to escape the ongoing sweltering heat wave and the frequent load shedding that has been raging across the country for over a week.
Chattogram has a demand of 1,400MW to 1,450MW of electricity during peak hours, according to the power distributor of the port city.
However, only around 1,100MW is available from the national grid, resulting in a 300MW-350MW shortfall every day.
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Traders are taking the opportunity to raise the prices of charger fans and IPS (instant power supply) amid heightened demand.
During a visit to the city's Rifle Club Market, Shah Amanat Market, Riazuddin Bazar, Chawkbazar, Golam Rasul Market, Bahaddarhat and Newmarket areas, The Business Standard noticed a buzz among buyers and sellers.
Charger fans in particular were selling the most. Charger lights and IPS were also selling more than usual.
Charger fans
Housewife Sanwara Begum of the Panchlaish area of Chattogram came to the Rifle Club Market of the city to buy a charger fan.
"Adults can somehow bear load shedding, but I have children. I am now forced to buy a charger fan. But the price is beyond my means," Sanwara said disappointedly.
Noman Ali, the proprietor of Gauchia Electric in Rifle Club Market, told The Business Standard that he has been selling 40 to 45 charger fans every day for a week.
"Normally, not more than 10 were sold a day. Along with charger fans, business in IPS is also doing well, with 3-4 IPS units sold a day," he said.
It was observed that the prices of charger fans range between Tk3,500 and Tk10,000. This is a Tk500-Tk1,000 price jump for the device in a month.
Although the demand is high for larger fans, small street shops are also getting into the action, selling small or medium-sized charger fans.
Instant power supply (IPS)
Depending on the battery, the price of each IPS is from Tk20,000 to Tk80,000.
Medium-quality units of 800 watts to 1200 watts are in high demand. Their prices are in the range of Tk22,000-Tk35,000, depending on the brand.
Rashid, who came from Banskhali to buy IPS, said his village does get power for even five hours a day. "I came to buy an IPS because my children and old mother cannot take the heat."
But the IPS which was Tk32,000 a year ago is now Tk45,000, he said.
"Traders are hurting common people by capitalising on their sufferings," Rashid added.
Shafiul Islam, an electrician in Riazuddin Bazar, said, "The price hike is mostly due to a decrease in imports from China and Indonesia. Traders are forced to charge higher prices."
The demand for IPS brands like Luminous, Rahimafrooz, and Extreme is high, the electrician mentioned.
Junaid, a seller of electronic goods in Chawkbazar, said, "All the IPS in my shop were sold last week. I sold at least 100 IPS units in May, but now there are no new products."
The demand for locally manufactured IPS has also increased.
Battery
The prices of batteries are high as many are also running to mechanic shops to get their broken charger fans and IPS units fixed.
In the markets, a 6-volt battery of a charger fan is selling for Tk600-Tk700, while 12-volt ones for more than Tk1,000.
Even a month ago, these batteries were available for Tk300 to Tk600.
Besides, IPS batteries are also being sold at high prices.
Traders said that the dearth of batteries in the country is more than that of control units.
Although control units are imported from abroad, the battery is manufactured locally, they said. Local supply cannot meet a sudden increase in demand.
