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Consumers puzzled by ‘ghost’ electricity bills


Bangladeshpost
Published : 08 Jun 2020 10:16 PM | Updated : 07 Sep 2020 07:22 PM

Due to the outbreak of the coronavirus, the government decided not to impose any fine on the delayed electricity bill payment from February to May. The consumers get this facility, who will pay their bills within June 30. But the distribution companies are not following the instructions properly. Rather they claimed ‘ghost’ bills, which is ten to twelve times more than the actual electricity used, consumers said. 

Several sources said that the problem was caused by meter readers as they made bills based on assumptions without going to any home during the coronavirus pandemic.

Based on the customers' complaint, the power division said in a press release that those who received extra bills from the actual bill will be adjusted in future. The notification also requested the customers not to be worried about the matter. 

However, aggrieved customers said meter readers never visit their homes and make the bill. As a result, it is not clear how it will be adjusted. They also expressed dissatisfaction over the behavior of staff members and officials of the distribution companies. 

In most cases, they hardly pay any heed to customers' complaints. Moreover, they misbehave with us, several agitated customers said. 

The power division has recently calculated that they made a loss of some 15,000 crore taka in three months due to nonpayment of consumers' electricity bills. They also have requested for an interest-free loan facility from the government to recover the loss. 

Mohammad Moniruzzan, resident of city’s Paltan area said, "Normally I pay taka 800 to 1,000 per month for electricity bill. So, a maximum bill of around Tk 3,000 is expected in three months. But, the distribution company claimed taka 50 thousand as my electricity bill for these three months. This is unrealistic."

Another consumer, Ali Nur Hossain, alleged that he was not in Dhaka in April. No one used electricity in the empty house. But the distribution company charged him taka 2,200 for electric bill of that month.

Freelance writer Farhana Milli wrote in a Facebook status, “I have been renting a house in Dhaka city for 21 years. I have never had the good fortune to see an electricity bill of so much money. I have to pay 11,120 taka for two months. How is it possible! The bill I pay in ten months has to be paid in two months.

Every summer in my house, the maximum monthly bill was 1,900 taka, which was also unusual. Usually I paid taka 1400 to 1600 per month and 1000 to 1,200 taka in winter. I don't know what happened this time. Maybe the power division will say, we ate electricity sitting down!”

State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid said the additional bill would be adjusted later after verifying the customers' complaint. There is no reason to worry about this, he added. 

He also said, “Any complaint regarding electricity bill can be made directly by visiting the website of the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources (www.mpemr.gov.bd) or the customer can contact his nearest power distribution company office. There is also an opportunity to inform directly to my mobile via SMS or e-mail ([email protected]). Complaints can also be made by contacting the focal persons of the concerned distribution company.”

Many have expressed their displeasure at the state minister's verified Facebook page about the electricity bill. One of them is Mohammad Aminul Islam. He said, “My monthly electricity bill is around taka 1,000 to 1,100. But it doubled in last two months. They charged taka 2,100 in the first month and taka 2,400 in the next month.” 

Abdullah Al Noman wrote, “My sister usually pays taka 400-500 per month as her electricity bill. It stood at taka 2,660 in April. My friend's usual monthly bill is taka 400-450. The bill emerged 2,634 taka in April. Same situation are at my home as well. A bill of around 300-500 taka was supposed to come, but it was raised to taka 1,200. I did not get a good answer when I made a complaint.”

Matin Khan said, “I keep record of my meter readings regularly. Last month I used 76 units but the bill paper says I used 265 units. I checked the meter again and saw that it was showing 76 units.”

Meanwhile, customers in Narayanganj have become agitated with the ghostly electricity bill. DPDC's Narayanganj Shitalakshya Zone organized a public hearing on June 2. The customers demanded the withdrawal of the 'ghost' electricity bill.

The Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) has submitted a letter to the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) to alleviate the suffering of consumers regarding their additional electricity bills.

The letter, signed by the cab's energy adviser, said as it was not possible to take the meter reading due to coronavirus, the arrears bill were made on the basis of fictitious calculations.

There are allegations that there is no logical and acceptable basis for the amount claimed in those bills. In some cases, the amount of these outstanding bills is more than 10 times than the actual amount. In the current situation, such incidents contradict the government's consumer-friendly measures.

The CAB said in its review that the bill was in conflict with the government's announcement and the BERC Act.