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The general manager of Magura Palli Bidyut Samity has been suspended immediately after a customer received an electricity bill of Tk506.83 crore for consuming just 235 units of electricity.
Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku also called the customer and apologised for the extraordinary bill, the ministry confirmed on Wednesday.
The bill was issued in the name of Aleya Khatun, wife of retired teacher Shahidul Islam of Kechuadubi village in Magura Sadar upazila’s Maghi Union.
According to the bill, the meter reading was 395 on September 8, compared with 160 on August 8, indicating consumption of 235 units in a month.
However, in addition to the regular electricity charge, the bill included Tk482.69 crore as a demand charge. It also included Tk24.13 crore in VAT and Tk10 as a meter rental fee, bringing the total to Tk506.83 crore.
If the bill was not paid within the deadline, including the late-payment surcharge, the amount would rise to Tk530.97 crore.
In contrast, the actual bill for 235 units should have been Tk1,963, or Tk2,056 including the late-payment surcharge.
The bill was issued on September 10, with September 29 set as the payment deadline. The customer category was listed as “LT-A (Residential)”.
Aleya Khatun said the bill was not only “absurd” but also a source of serious anxiety and inconvenience for her family.
“We want a remedy for such mistakes caused by the negligence of the electricity authorities,” she said.
