Irregular Electricity Bills Spark Outcry Among Kamalganj Rural Consumers Customers

Residents of Kamalganj upazila in Moulvibazar are facing growing frustration after being hit with unusually high and apparently inconsistent electricity bills issued by the local rural electricity distribution office. Consumers say the billing irregularities have persisted over the past several months, leaving many households and small businesses struggling to make sense of sudden and unexplained increases in their monthly charges.

Complaints have centred on what customers describe as “estimated” or “arbitrary” bills that bear little relation to actual meter readings. In several cases, bills have reportedly risen three to four times higher than previous months without any corresponding rise in electricity usage. Many consumers allege that meter readings have not been taken regularly at household level, with some readings being entered in bulk for multiple months at a time.

A shop owner in the Sadar Union area, Imran Mia, said his small business typically receives a monthly bill of around 500 to 600 taka. However, his June bill unexpectedly surged to 4,800 taka. After checking his meter, he claimed the recorded units in the bill did not match actual consumption. Following a visit to the local office, the amount was later adjusted to 1,800 taka, though he still questioned the basis of the original calculation.

Other traders have reported similar difficulties. At Vanugach Bazaar, businessman Abdul Odud said he was sent a bill that included charges from March 2024, despite previous payments being completed. He expressed confusion over whether the responsibility lay with him or the electricity authority, adding that he had to leave his shop repeatedly to pursue corrections at the office.

Similar complaints have been reported from Vanugach, Munshibazar, Patanushar, Alinagar, Madhabpur and surrounding union areas, affecting both low-income families and middle-class households.

Local sources suggest that meter readers are not consistently visiting households and, in some instances, are recording readings for several months in a single entry. This has led to inflated consumption slabs, pushing customers into higher tariff brackets and significantly increasing their bills.

When affected residents approach the zonal office with complaints, many report long waiting times and limited resolution. Some claim they are met with dismissive behaviour or are told their bills will be corrected without clear timelines. There are also allegations that customers are warned of possible disconnection if bills are not paid on time, even when disputes remain unresolved.

Contacted for comment, Ranjan Kumar Ghosh, Deputy General Manager of the Moulvibazar Rural Electricity Association’s Kamalganj zonal office, acknowledged that customers were facing difficulties. He attributed the problem to a recent software transition, stating that previous ledger data had been merged into the new system, which has caused billing inconsistencies. He assured that the issue would be resolved soon.

Despite this assurance, residents continue to demand a more transparent and reliable billing process, as uncertainty over monthly charges continues to fuel dissatisfaction across the upazila.