The High Court on Wednesday asked the government to conduct an impartial investigation into customers鈥� complaints against prepaid electricity meters that were allegedly charging extra and hidden bills.
The bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice SM Masud Hossain Dolon issued the directive after hearing a writ petition filed by three Supreme Court lawyers.
The three lawyers, Kamrul Hasan Regan, Al Hadi and Zakir Haider drew the court鈥檚 attention to customers鈥� complaints against prepaid meters that were reported by 17 national newspapers.
The court asked the authorities to form a probe committee with experts, and submit the probe report in a month.聽聽
The court also asked the government authorities to explain in four weeks why they would not be directed to hold an impartial and independent inquiry into the complaints about electricity prepaid meters.聽
The secretary of the ministry of power, energy and mineral resources, the Power Grid Company of Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission, the Bangladesh Power Development Board, the Bangladesh Rural Development Board, Dhaka Electricity Supply Company, the West Zone Power Distribution Company, the Northern Electricity Supply Company and DPDC were asked to respond to the rule.
The three lawyers argued in the petition that despite the introduction of prepaid meters, consumers were facing inconvenience due to various reasons, including excess charges, hidden charges and lack of transparency.
They said that the problems led to widespread discontent and financial hardship.
But no action has been taken yet, they said in the petition.
They said that there is an urgent need for review and audit of billing practices, transparency, refund of excess charges, public communication and policy reforms.
The lawyers said that the consumers still suffered from overcharges, hidden charges and lack of transparency.
The prepaid meters were introduced to alleviate the sufferings of electricity consumers, but this system has now turned into a source of distress, they added.
They also said that numerous complaints surfaced about money being deducted at unusually high rates.
The lawyers argued that prepaid meter was a new method of exploitation.
For several months, customers have been voicing their grievances about the excessive charges on prepaid electricity meters through various channels, including social media platforms such as Facebook.
These complaints have been corroborated by discussions with residents from several districts, including Dhaka.
Lawyer AM Jamiul Hoque Faisal appeared for the writ petitioners.