Prepaid Meter Issues: Customers Push for Postpaid Alternatives

Customers are facing difficulties with prepaid meters, experiencing excessive charges when using emergency balance. They are demanding the replacement of prepaid meters with postpaid ones.

Various protests, including human chains, are taking place in different areas to demand the abolition of prepaid meters.

In 2004, the initiative to install prepaid meters across the country was launched to control electricity wastage and free customers from the harassment of ghost bills. Since then, the installation of prepaid meters has been ongoing in various residential and commercial areas of Sylhet city. To date, 146,482 meters have been installed within the Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) jurisdiction.

However, customers are facing numerous problems with the prepaid meters, from arbitrary deductions to various other issues. There is a demand to replace prepaid meters with postpaid and digital meters. Customers have announced their readiness to launch a strong movement to achieve this demand.

Sources indicate that customers are being forced to switch from old postpaid meters to new prepaid meters. However, there are several mismanagements and irregularities surrounding the prepaid meters. Extra charges are being taken, and the balance runs out quickly after recharging. The bills on prepaid meters are much higher than those on paper bills.

Another significant issue is the emergency balance. Customers are charged excessive fees for using emergency balance. There are also multiple difficulties with recharging. Prepaid recharge cards are not always available, and the long digital codes are difficult to input into the meter. If a mistake is made while entering these codes, the meter locks, causing a long power outage. To unlock the meter, customers have to repeatedly visit the electricity office.

Because of these issues, customers are demanding the installation of postpaid meters instead of prepaid ones, and human chain protests have been organized in several areas. Petitions have been submitted to the Bangladesh Power Development Board and the Divisional Commissioner. Additionally, anti-prepaid meter committees are being formed in different wards of the city.

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Affected customers have stated that they are being harassed due to the installation of prepaid meters. Instead of providing services, electricity office officials are allegedly using the installation of prepaid meters as a way to exploit customers. The bills on prepaid meters are almost 2.5 times higher than those on previous meters, and the meter rental has also increased.

Syed Lutfor Rahman, an affected customer, said, “Earlier, my bill used to be 600-700 taka, but now it is 1,000 to 1,200 taka. I don’t understand why this is happening, and there are more load shedding as well. We want our old meter back.” Another customer, Syed Abdul Mukit from South Surma, said, “I only have one request—please remove the prepaid meter and install the old meter. We never leave any bills unpaid, and we pay the bills every month. We don’t want this meter anymore because of the various problems it causes.”

The Sylhet Electricity Department has reported that 17,878 meters have been installed in Sales and Distribution Division-1, 58,593 meters in Division-2, 16,427 meters in Division-3, 23,584 meters in Division-4, and 30,000 meters in Division-5 under the Sylhet City Corporation area.

Mohammad Abdul Qadir, the Chief Engineer of the Sylhet Division Electricity Development Board (BEUDB), stated, “This is a digital system, and initial problems are being faced across the country. Around 63% of the meters in Sylhet are prepaid, and it is working fine for most users. The people who are using it for the first time are facing issues, but those who have been using it since 2005-06 are not experiencing any problems. We have a significant amount of outstanding dues in Sylhet, and meter manipulation is happening in various areas. The people who take the readings are not accurate, but the prepaid meter is helping reduce harassment for customers.”