Consumers under the Palli Bidyut Samity in Kamalganj upazila of Moulvibazar are facing severe hardship due to unusually high and irregular electricity bills over the past several months.
Local residents allege that bills have increased sharply without any corresponding rise in electricity usage. Many consumers report that June bills were three to four times higher than usual, triggering anger and frustration among low- and middle-income households.
Several affected customers said the billed units did not match their actual meter readings. In some cases, previous unpaid bills were also added, further increasing the total amount. Many consumers claimed they were forced to repeatedly visit the electricity office for corrections, often without any resolution.
Business owners and residents from different areas, including Bhunagachh market and surrounding villages, said they are struggling to cope with the sudden financial pressure caused by the inflated bills.
Allegations have also emerged that meter readers are not regularly visiting households and are instead generating readings based on estimates or compiling multiple months’ readings at once, leading to slab-related billing errors.
Consumers further alleged harassment at the local Palli Bidyut office, saying they are made to wait for hours without proper assistance and, in some cases, threatened with disconnection if bills are not paid on time.
Kamalganj Zone Deputy General Manager (DGM) of Moulvibazar Palli Bidyut Samity, Ranjan Kumar Ghosh, acknowledged the complaints, saying the issue arose due to a recent software transition that affected billing records.
He assured that the problems would be resolved soon and said any errors in meter readings or billing would be corrected after proper verification. He also denied allegations of intentional harassment, adding that valid complaints would be addressed and bills would be adjusted accordingly.
-HIS
