Overcharging of electricity bills by the Power Development Board (PDB) has prompted Khagrachharhi residents to stage a demonstration in front of the distribution company’s office. PDB agreed to review the bills following the protests.
Hundreds of PDB consumers staged a demonstration in front of the Khagrachhari PDB office on Sunday morning, saying they had been overcharged on their power bills by four to ten times the usual amount this month.
Moudud Mia, a client from the Bus Terminal area in town said in June he had paid Tk200 for electricity but this month PDB sent him a bill of Tk982.
Arun Chakma, a client from Pankhaiya Para said he paid Tk220 in June but PDB gave him a Tk2,700 bill this month. Shyama Marma, a housewife from Krishi Gobeshona area alleged that her meter read only 3,820 units yesterday but PDB had handed her a bill for 5,150 units this month.
Ibrahim Mia of Muslim Para, Shadon Chakma and Ratan Kumar Dey of Ananda Nagor, Rafiqul Islam and Yusuf Ali of Arambug village said PDB had been overcharging them for the last couple of months.
They have complained several times, yet the PDB has done nothing, they said.
“There is no power for 12-14 hours a day. But the power bill is rising every month,” alleged Mohammad Solaiman of Arambag village.
Following the agitation, PDB decided to review the electricity bills for July. It said some clients were using analogue meters and advised them to switch to digital meters for better reading.
Assistant Engineer Abdus Salam admitted that many faulty bills had been sent to consumers this month. He claimed there was a shortage of manpower at the local office. “Only 10 men are working, nine of which are on a contract basis to prepare bills for 12,000 clients in the district,” he said.
Executive Engineer of Khagrachhari PDB Uga Prue Marma said the overcharging took place due to analogue meters.
“We have requested our clients to change their meters,” he said.