The government will take punitive measures against people behind the inflated electricity bills by seven days.
The decision was made at a virtual meeting of the Power Division chaired by State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid, reports UNB.
It has been also decided not to force the consumers pay inflated electricity bills and that top officials of power distribution companies will brief the media to clarify their position to the consumers.
The move comes after retail consumers across the country received their electricity bills in the second week of May. Most of them complained that they received bills that were at least twice as high as that of the previous months.
A task force headed by an additional secretary to deal with the matter of inflated electricity bills was formed at the meeting, says the UNB report.
However, details of the task force, like the size of it or when it will start working are yet to be decided, an official at the power and energy ministry told Dhaka Tribune before adding that it would be completed within three days.
M Shamsul Alam, energy adviser of rights body Consumers' Association of Bangladesh (CAB), is doubtful about the move since all the members of the task force maybe from the power sector.
“Even such secretaries or additional secretaries are usually part of the governing body of the distribution companies. So, what’s the point of such a move which encircles within the group of same people,” he said.
He fears that nobody from outside the sector, especially from consumer rights groups, will be included in the task force.
Maybe, the BERC could handle the issue strictly, he said, adding: “Instead, the sector’s high ups will do it all on their own.”
He also questioned why the respective distribution companies didn’t take immediate action against those responsible for over-billing despite so much criticism.