Billing error leaves 235 Dhaka units with Tk 5.06 billion demand charges

Hundreds of electricity consumers in Dhaka have received unexpectedly massive bills following a significant administrative error at a major power distribution utility. A meter identification number was mistakenly entered into the demand charge field during billing operations, generating bills totaling approximately Tk 5.06 billion across 235 residential units.

The affected consumers reported receiving billing statements that bore no relation to their typical monthly consumption patterns. The scale of the overcharge—with individual bills reaching extraordinary amounts—made the discrepancy immediately apparent to utility officials upon initial review.

The power distribution company has acknowledged the technical error and initiated corrective measures. Authorities indicated that revised billing statements reflecting accurate charges would be reissued to all affected customers, with arrangements being made for refunds of erroneous payments already received.

This incident highlights the critical importance of data validation protocols in utility billing systems, where even single-digit data entry errors can cascade into significant financial complications for large customer bases. Investigations into how the error occurred are reportedly underway to prevent similar occurrences in future billing cycles.