Saidul Islam Montu, Betagi (Barguna)

Common consumers in Betagi Upazila of Barguna are enduring mounting financial distress due to exorbitant and erratic electricity bills, triggering widespread public anger and discontent across the region. Frustrated residents have increasingly taken to social media platforms to voice their grievances against the local power authority.

Local consumer Jasim Uddin alleged that his electricity connection, overseen by the Betagi Sub-Zonal Office of the Palli Bidyut Samity, recorded a jump from a previous reading of 185 units to 440 units in the latest billing cycle. Consequently, his usual monthly bill of Tk 1,400 surged to an abnormal and arbitrary "ghost bill" of Tk 3,946, leaving him questioning how he is expected to pay such an inflated amount.

Rubel Mallick, a businessman in the Betagi port area, stated that consumers are regularly receiving bills that are double, triple, or even several times higher than their actual consumption. He claimed that meter readers fail to record physical readings on-site, opting instead to generate guesswork-based bills from the office. Fixed-income earners and ordinary villagers are reportedly struggling to bear the burden of these unexplained hikes.

Other affected residents echoed these concerns, alleging that estimated billing has become a systematic form of customer harassment. They have urged consumer rights authorities to intervene and advised fellow consumers to photograph and preserve their physical meter readings as proof.

Reports indicate that numerous complaints regarding inflated electricity bills have poured in from various areas of Betagi upazila this month. Residents pointed out that despite prolonged load-shedding throughout the preceding month, many utility bills climbed abnormally, intensifying public resentment toward the local Palli Bidyut office. Affected citizens have demanded a thorough investigation and accountability from the authorities.

Betagi Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md. Saddam Hossain acknowledged the crisis, stating, "I frequently see customer anger and complaints regarding inconsistent electricity bills on social media. Guesswork-based billing is completely unacceptable. We will speak with the respective Palli Bidyut office and take necessary action."

Responding to the allegations, the local official in charge of the Betagi Sub-Zonal Office of Palli Bidyut Samity claimed that any discrepancies arising from high consumption or billing errors would be verified and adjusted upon formal investigation.

Meanwhile, aggrieved consumers have called for an immediate halt to what they termed harassing and inflated billing practices, demanding accurate and transparent utility statements moving forward.