Infuriated by persistent power cuts and erratic billing during sweltering summer heat, residents in Ishwardi upazila under Pabna district detained a rural electricity meter reader for nearly four hours. The incident unfolded on Tuesday afternoon, 11 August, in the Chargargari Alhaj More area under Sahapur Union, reflecting mounting public frustration over deteriorating power supply across rural communities.
The detained worker, identified as Ainul Hossain, is employed as a meter reader at the Dashuria Zonal Office under Pabna Rural Electrification Society-1.
According to local accounts, the village of Chargargari has suffered from frequent, unannounced load shedding for weeks. Prolonged power outages combined with oppressive summer temperatures have disrupted daily household routines, damaged small businesses, and caused widespread distress to elderly residents and children. Adding to the discontent, consumers voiced severe grievances over “phantom billing”—an ongoing issue where customers receive inflated monthly electricity bills that fail to reflect actual consumption patterns during extended blackouts.
Akmal Pramanik, a resident of Chargargari, stated that villagers have endured prolonged hardship due to continuous power disruptions. He noted that public anger had reached boiling point not only due to the erratic electricity supply but also because of unresolved administrative harassment regarding billing discrepancies.
Local Union Parishad member Rupban Khatun explained that Ainul Hossain arrived in the locality on Tuesday afternoon to record monthly meter readings. At the time of his visit, the entire neighbourhood was plunged into darkness due to an ongoing outage. Frustrated by the stifling heat, local residents surrounded the meter reader, demanding immediate answers regarding erratic power distribution and billing irregularities. As tempers flared, the crowd detained him on-site and alerted senior officials at the electricity office.
Villagers eventually released Hossain after approximately four hours following discussions with community leaders.
Reflecting on the experience, Ainul Hossain acknowledged that local residents were severely distressed by the situation. He noted, however, that grid instability and power shortages extend beyond a single village, describing the issue as a broader national supply challenge. He added that following instructions from his superiors, he halted meter readings for the day and departed the location once released.
Efforts to obtain an official comment from Rathindra Nath Barman, Deputy General Manager at the Dashuria Zonal Office of Pabna Rural Electrification Society-1, proved unsuccessful as he did not answer phone calls.
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