Govt promotes prepaid meters with 0.5% recharge rebate

Bangladesh is promoting prepaid electricity meters to enhance transparency, curb system losses, and help consumers manage their spending, offering users a 0.5% rebate on eligible recharge amounts.

Prepaid meters enable consumers to monitor their balance and consumption, allowing them to plan usage and avoid unexpected bills. According to the Power Division, users pay no security deposit, while monthly demand charges, VAT and meter rent are deducted automatically at the first recharge of each month. Furthermore, emergency credit and special service hours are available when balances run out. Adoption has expanded considerably nationwide: around 1.2 million of DPDC’s 2 million customers and nearly 1.4 million of NESCO’s more than 2.3 million customers use prepaid meters, while DESCO has about 956,000 prepaid users and BPDB has more than 3.6 million. BREB and WZPDCL have also introduced the system for a substantial number of customers.

Officials maintain that the system lowers meter-reading and billing costs while enabling distribution companies to collect revenue in advance and minimise outstanding bills. NESCO Managing Director Mashiur Rahman said the transition was progressing in line with government policy, with more than 60% of the company’s customers already on prepaid meters.

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Nevertheless, energy analyst Shafiqul Alam called for greater public awareness to allay consumer concerns. Consumers can seek information or lodge complaints through the Power Division’s central hotline, 16999.