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Bangladesh's government has refuted allegations of widespread excessive electricity billing following a recent tariff adjustment. State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, Anindya Islam Amit, stated that investigations revealed most higher bills resulted from increased electricity consumption rather than erroneous billing or tariff hikes.

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Our investigations show that the majority of complaints resulted from misunderstandings rather than billing errors.

The explanations were provided at a press conference where officials addressed numerous consumer complaints. Power Secretary Mirana Mahrukh presented a statement noting that many consumers compared their June bills with May's, leading to the perception of increased costs solely due to the tariff adjustment implemented in June. She argued this comparison was misleading, as electricity consumption typically surges in June due to seasonal factors like hot weather, increased use of air conditioners, and holidays.

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Such comparisons were misleading because electricity consumption typically rises sharply during June due to seasonal and other factors -- prolonged hot weather, below-normal rainfall, increased use of air conditioners and other cooling appliances, the Eid holidays and HSC examinations.

State Minister Amit directly addressed accusations that bills were inflated to cover system losses or boost revenue. He asserted that investigations showed the majority of complaints stemmed from misunderstandings, not actual billing errors. Officials compared June bills from this year with those from June last year, accounting for seasonal demand, and found that most bills accurately reflected actual usage.

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He said officials compared this year’s June bills with those of June last year after taking seasonal electricity demand into account and found that most bills reflected actual consumption.

While acknowledging that not every bill might be perfectly accurate, Amit encouraged consumers to pursue meter testing and bill verification through their respective distribution utilities if they suspect inaccuracies. The press conference aimed to clarify the reasons behind the increased electricity bills and reassure the public about the billing process.

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He, however, acknowledged that every bill was not accurate and said consumers can apply to the relevant distribution utility for meter testing and bill verification.