Shahidul Islam Roni, a Palli Bidyut (rural electricity) customer in Harikrishnapur village of Badalkot union in Chatkhil upazila, Noakhali, has been paying Tk 1,200 to 1,300 a month for electricity. For September his bill came to Tk 110,496, including VAT and a late fee.
His home runs three bulbs, two fans, a fridge and an IPS backup unit. In August they cost him Tk 1,326, and earlier months were similar. Shahidul said he used an average of 187 units a month over the past five months, but the September bill shows 6,000 units.
The meter is in the name of his late grandfather, Abu Taher. Shahidul said he has always paid on time and was stunned when he saw the bill, which he blames on carelessness by the staff who prepare bills.
When he complained to the employee who delivered the bill, he was told to go to the office to have it corrected. It is unacceptable, he said, that staff make the mistake and customers must go door to door to fix it, and he wants those responsible punished.
Junaedur Rahman, deputy general manager of the Noakhali Palli Bidyut Samity's Chatkhil zonal office, first said he could not comment without seeing the bill. Once a copy was sent to him, he said it was a mistake: staff will soon visit the customer to check the meter, and the bill will be corrected.
The report is by Bangla Tribune's Noakhali correspondent.
Photo: Gegik / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0); electricity meter, representative picture
Source: Bangla Tribune
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