SR Shariful Islam Ratan, Lalmonirhat
General electricity consumers of Lalmonirhat have warned of a larger movement if the installation of harassing prepaid meters ignoring public interest is not stopped. General consumers have surrounded the Lalmonirhat Electricity (NESCO) office demanding the closure of card system meters. At the same time, general electricity consumers have submitted a memorandum to the Northern Electricity Supply Company (NESCO) PLC Executive Engineer’s Office, seeking the intervention of the interim government’s electricity and energy advisor to stop the installation of prepaid meters. On Monday (August 25) around noon, the general public toured the Northern Electric Supply Company (NESCO) Lalmanihat office. It is learned that the incident took place in the Bongram area of ​​Kulaghat Union, and the locals were angry and surrounded the Northern Electric Supply Company (NESCO) Limited office. Stating that they will have to pay additional charges on prepaid meters, the speakers said that through this controversial prepaid meter connection, customers will suffer 30% financial loss and suffering due to meter rent and surcharge. For every recharge of 1,000 taka on prepaid meters, they will have to pay 20 taka as agent commission. Customers will have to pay 40 taka for meter rental every month. It is unclear how long this rent will have to be paid. Although customers have previously purchased analog and digital meters with their own money, the Electricity Department has not paid any money for them. There are also no clear guidelines on how many units of electricity customers can use for every 1,000 taka recharge, or how commercial and residential rates will be determined. Angry consumers said that a new trap has been laid to steal money from the pockets of the people in the name of installing prepaid meters. The leaders said that if the balance in the prepaid meter runs out, customers will have to pay interest at the rate of 50 taka for the emergency balance of 500 taka. If the prepaid meter is locked for any reason, you will have to deposit 600 taka to unlock it. Sometimes the electricity supply stops automatically due to electrical overload. Apart from this, there are allegations that money is deducted immediately after recharging this prepaid meter. Some unruly people surrounded the NESCO office and started abusing Executive Engineer Mahmudur Rahman in foul language and behaved aggressively. Upon receiving the information, Additional Superintendent of Police Fazlul Haque, OC of Sadar Police Station Nur Nabi Sarkar, and a convoy of army vehicles arrived and brought the situation under control. When asked about this, NESCO’s executive engineer said, “At the moment, it is not possible for us to bring prepaid meters door to door. We have informed the higher-ups, submitted a memorandum, and will try to resolve the problem in due time and are continuing to do so.”