An electricity bill issued for June at the Gazipur home of Sifat Abdullah, who was arrested after criticising the prime minister and the government over an inflated power bill during a Facebook Live broadcast, reveals an unusually sharp surge in consumption compared with both preceding and subsequent months.
The controversy surrounding the high bill, which triggered Sifat’s online protest and subsequent arrest, remains unresolved, even as debate continues over the abusive language he used in his video.
Sifat has been remanded to jail in a case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act. Police maintain his arrest was not solely related to his criticism of the electricity bill, citing his broader social media remarks and alleged political affiliations.
The case has drawn national attention to widespread grievances among consumers, many of whom reported unusually high electricity bills based on their May and June usage.
The Power Division has yet to offer a satisfactory explanation for the surge.
While the government initially attributed the spike to higher tariffs and increased summer usage in June, bills issued in August based on July consumption dropped significantly for many consumers, undermining that official rationale.
Midnight arrest and alleged political links
Police arrested Sifat from his home in the Board Bazar area of Gazipur city on the night of 3 September. The following day, he was produced in court under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
Law enforcement officers claimed he had ties to the Awami League, which was removed from power following a mass uprising.
In a 1-minute 24-second Facebook Live video posted on the night of 3 September, Sifat said that his family had received electricity bills of roughly Tk4,000 for one month and nearly Tk5,000 for the previous month. Questioning the exorbitant charges, he asked, “Can a single month’s electricity bill hold an entire family hostage?”
Consumption records reveal mysterious spike
The investigation revealed that Sifat’s father, Md Sekandar Ali, holds three residential electricity meters at his two-storey residence in Ward 38 of Gazipur city.
Official records from Palli Bidyut Samity show that electricity consumption under the first meter remained stable before a sudden, dramatic increase in June. The meter recorded 45 units in April resulting in a May bill of Tk317, and 50 units in May resulting in a June bill of Tk342. However, the July bill, calculated on June consumption, soared to 150 units, amounting to Tk1,182, exceeding the combined consumption of the previous three months. By August, based on 75 units consumed in July, the bill fell back to Tk513.
The second meter followed an identical pattern. The May bill stood at Tk1,812 for 250 units in April, while the June bill was Tk1,584 for 200 units in May. However, the July bill based on June consumption shot up to 400 units, totaling Tk3,594. The August bill then dropped to Tk2,397 for 285 units consumed in July.
The third meter mirrored this trend. The May bill was Tk847 for 125 units in April, and the June bill was Tk690 for 120 units in May. The July bill, reflecting June consumption, jumped to 205 units and Tk1,633, before falling to Tk1,362 in August based on 175 units consumed in July.
Officials unregistered to explain June surge
Md Ahsan Kabir, deputy general manager of the Board Bazar Zonal Office of Gazipur Palli Bidyut Samity-1, told TIMES of Bangladesh that the complaint would be investigated thoroughly. He claimed officials sought to visit Sifat’s home to audit the electrical appliances in use, but the family refused to cooperate and closed the gate.
“If the number of electrical appliances is high, a higher electricity bill is normal. That is why officials wanted to inspect the appliances being used at the house,” Kabir said.
However, he was unable to explain why electricity consumption spiked so significantly in June compared with all other months.
Political backlash and overreach allegations
Following Sifat’s detention, local leaders and activists from the National Citizen Party (NCP) staged protests by surrounding the local police station.
Ali Naser Khan, joint chief organiser of the NCP central executive committee and a Gazipur leader, told TIMES that Sifat was detained simply for speaking out against excessive utility billing.
“This is police overreach and a direct violation of freedom of expression,” Naser said.
Police rejected the allegations, maintaining that Sifat was not arrested merely for raising concerns over his power bill. Officials stated that his social media activity, alleged derogatory remarks about the government and key individuals, and potential political ties remain under active investigation.
