'This is not just ghost bill, but an absurd one': Magura customer gets Tk506cr electricity bill for 235 units

A customer in Magura has been issued an electricity bill of Tk506.83 crore for consuming just 235 units of electricity in a month, leaving her and her family stunned.

The bill was issued in the name of Aleya Khatun, a resident of Kechuadubi village in Maghi Union under Magura Sadar upazila, for September.

According to the bill seen by The Business Standard, the meter reading was 395 on 8 September, compared with 160 on 8 August, indicating consumption of 235 units over the month.

However, the bill showed Tk482.69 crore as a demand charge, in addition to the regular electricity charge. Another Tk24.13 crore was added as value-added tax, along with Tk10 in meter rent, bringing the total to Tk506,83,11,593.

If the bill was not paid by the deadline, the amount would rise to Tk530.96 crore, including a late-payment surcharge.

The actual bill for consuming 235 units should have been Tk1,963, rising to Tk2,056 with the late-payment surcharge.

The bill was issued on 10 September, with 29 September set as the payment deadline.

"This is not just a ghost bill, but an absurd one. The electricity department's carelessness is increasing customers' anxiety and suffering. Such mistakes must be addressed," Aleya Khatun said.

When contacted, Mohammad Rezaul Karim, deputy general manager of the Arpara zonal office of Magura Palli Bidyut Samity, acknowledged the error and said the bill would be corrected soon.

He said the abnormal amount resulted from a mistake made while replacing the customer's electricity meter, when the digits of the meter's seal number were mistakenly entered in the demand-charge field.

"The bill will be corrected soon. The customer will have to pay the bill for the actual consumption of 235 units," he said.