The power failure, which affected 160 million people, was caused after the supply from India went down
Bangladesh suffered a nationwide blackout this morning as the lights went out across the entire country.
The power failure happened at around 11.30am local time (5.30am GMT) after the line bringing in electricity from neighbouring India failied.
The country's 160 milliion people were left without power for much of the day, although parts had the lights back on by around lunchtime.
Power Grid Company of Bangladesh Director Chowdhury Alamgir Hossain told the Dhaka Tribune that the power failure occurred because the national grid collapsed.
He said the High Voltage DC substation at Bheramara in Kushtia shut down due to a 'technical glitch' in the morning.
The blackout covered all parts of the country connected to the national grid as other power stations near it started failing one after another.
Bangladesh began importing electricity from India a year ago via a 400-kilovolt transmission line that runs from Baharampur in the Indian state of West Bengal to the southwestern Bangladesh town of Bheramara.
"At the moment we cannot say how much time it will take to resume full speed power supply across the country," said the PCGB director told the newspaper.
An investigation has now been launched into what happened.
State Minister for Power Nasrul Hamid told the Tribune: "We are investigating the reason for the power cut. A probe committee will be formed soon to look into the matter.
"I hope the entire country will get back normal supply of electricity within four to five hours."
