PM orders recovery of due electricity bills

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has directed the authorities concerned to take necessary steps to collect outstanding electricity bills from all, including government and non-government organisations.

"The prime minister said that due payments should be collected from everyone, including her, if there were dues," Planning Minister MA Mannan quoted the premier as issuing the directive at the meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Wednesday.

"The prime minister directed us to take legal action if necessary after serving a notice. If the bills are still not paid, the prime minister has asked that connections be snapped," Mannan told reporters after the Ecnec meeting.

The Prime Minister approved the project to install smart prepaid metres in Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions under Northern Electricity Supply Company Limited, the state-owned electricity provider, and stressed a speedy completion of the installation of prepaid metres.

Earlier, on 7 January, 2021, the Parliamentary Committee on the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources advised collecting outstanding electricity bills. At the same time, the committee also recommended the installation of prepaid metres.

According to data presented by the power department to the same committee on 2 December, 2021, a total of 21,838 cases of six power distribution companies were pending against customers over non-payment of bills.

Until 2020, outstanding electricity bills across the country amounted to Tk8,556.63 crore of which 6,962.74 crore were in the private sector. The various government agencies owed Tk746.86 crore in electricity bills.

Of the public sector, the local government department has the most due, which is Tk694.92 crore, while the dues in the semi-government sector are to the tune of Tk197.11 crore.

Of the six electricity distributors, the Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board is owed the most bills, which is Tk3,796.51 crore, while West Zone Power distribution company is owed the lowest of Tk449.13 crore.

The Prime Minister also directed a focusing on the environment prior to the implementation of development projects, including power, rail, road and hospital.

The planning minister said that an environmental survey would need to be done before undertaking any project with a focus on saving rivers, canals, forests and trees.

The Prime Minister also directed that rural roads be widened.

"We need to build new roads. But before that, emphasis should be laid on the repair and widening of old roads," said the planning minister.