Staggering Tk 1.35bn unpaid power bills deepen Cumilla region’s energy strain

Officials say six districts owe Tk 1.35 billion in unpaid electricity bills

A severe electricity crisis marked by “acute” load shedding has left consumers frustrated across the Cumilla region, while authorities grapple with a mounting backlog of unpaid bills across six districts.

Chandpur municipality alone leads the list with Tk 190 million in unpaid bills, followed by Cumilla City Corporation with Tk 70 million.

Officials said the combined outstanding dues of the Bangladesh Power Development Board (PDB) and the Rural Electrification Board in the Cumilla zone stand at Tk 1.35 billion.

Of that, Tk 580 million is current monthly arrears and Tk 770 million is long-term dues.

Much of the longstanding debt is owed by state-run public service institutions.

Chief Engineer of PDB Cumilla distribution zone Sheikh Firoz Kabir said the region covers Cumilla, Noakhali, Feni, Brahmanbaria, Chandpur and Lakshmipur, with around 590,000 postpaid customers.

Lakshmipur municipality owes over Tk 20 million, while Bangladesh Railways in Cumilla and Brahmanbaria has Tk 8.6 million in longstanding arrears.

Officials said regular monthly arrears are often cleared when bills arrive, but quickly accumulate again.

Chandpur Municipality, home to about 200,000 people, runs water plants and street lighting costing Tk 2 million monthly, with arrears now spanning 75 months.

Officials from Cumilla and Lakshmipur city bodies said efforts are under way to reduce dues through instalments and coordination with the Power Division.

Despite the backlog, authorities say disconnection is rarely possible for public institutions due to service considerations.

PDB officials report detecting and disconnecting around 30 illegal connections monthly and resolving up to 400 cases annually through electricity courts.

Officials said the region faces a 200MW load shedding burden against peak demand of 1,650MW, partly eased by 190MW imported from India’s Tripura.