Dhaka, April 23 -- Frequent and prolonged power outages across rural areas are taking a heavy toll on businesses, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs), disrupting production cycles, inflating operating costs, and eroding the incomes of both entrepreneurs and workers.

Business owners in districts across Rangpur, Rajshahi, Khulna, and Habiganj say they are facing load shedding for as long as seven to eight hours a day. The erratic electricity supply has forced many factories, workshops, and processing units to either suspend operations or run at significantly reduced capacity.

This is happening as the country grapples with a severe energy crisis triggered by global fuel supply disruptions. A sudden decline in fuel supply has led...