The Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) has reversed its recent decision to impose additional electricity charges on low-consumption residential users, easing the financial burden on low-income and lower-middle-income households.
In a notification issued on Thursday, the regulator confirmed that the newly introduced tariff hike for households using up to 75 units of electricity per month has been withdrawn. The move comes just a day after BERC had announced an increase in electricity prices for the lowest consumption brackets.
Under the earlier decision, consumers using up to 50 units per month were set to face an additional charge of Tk0.69 per unit, which would have raised the rate to Tk5.32 per unit. Similarly, households consuming between 0 and 75 units were expected to pay an extra Tk0.92 per unit, bringing their revised rate to Tk6.18 per unit. These adjustments were expected to significantly impact low-income families, who depend on these lower usage slabs for essential electricity needs.
However, following concerns raised by the Power Division, the decision was reconsidered. Earlier on Thursday, the Power Development Board (PDB) under the Power Division formally requested BERC to withdraw the additional charges on humanitarian grounds, particularly highlighting the strain on marginal consumers.
In its statement, the Power Division noted that the earlier tariff revision did not fully align with the PDB’s original proposal, which had specifically recommended exemptions for lifeline and marginal users.
The withdrawal is seen as a relief measure for vulnerable households amid broader concerns over energy costs and global fuel supply disruptions.
