How to read your electricity bill in Bangladesh, line by line
Your bill is a short sum. This guide shows each field, then rebuilds a real example from 250 units to ৳2,051.70 so you can check your own.
What is on a postpaid bill
Your bill is a short sum with a few labels around it. DESCO says a postpaid bill copy shows the amount due and the due date, the late payment charge you pay if you pay after that date, your meter number, the billing period, the current and previous meter readings with their dates, and the amount you paid last month.
| Field | What it tells you | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Consumer number | Your account. You need it to pay online, complain or ask for a change. | Keep it private. Check it on every bill. |
| Meter number | The serial number on your meter. | It should match the number printed on the meter at your door. |
| Tariff category | A code such as LT-A (home) or LT-E (shop). It decides which rates apply. | Make sure it matches how you use the place. |
| Sanctioned load (kW) | The power your connection is approved for. | It sets the demand charge every month. |
| Billing period and reading dates | The days the bill covers. | Count the days. A longer period means more units. |
| Previous and current reading | The meter numbers at the start and end of the period. | Current minus previous gives your units. |
| Amount due, due date, late payment charge | What to pay, by when, and the extra amount if you are late. | Pay before the due date to avoid the extra charge. |
When is your meter read?
DESCO states that low-tension (LT) meters are usually read between the 5th and the 25th of each month, and low-tension industrial meters between the 26th of one month and the 5th of the next. So the days in your billing period can change from month to month.
This matters because units follow days. A home that uses 8 units a day has 224 units in 28 days and 264 units in 33 days. At the June 2026 rates, the energy charge for those two periods is ৳1,675.40 and ৳2,039.40. That is ৳364.00 more for five extra days, before demand charge and VAT.
Rebuild your bill in five steps (example: 250 units)
- Find your units: current reading minus previous reading. For a meter with a multiplying factor, multiply the difference by that factor.
- Price the units through the slabs for your category. Each slice has its own rate.
- Add the demand charge: sanctioned load in kW times the demand rate. A home pays ৳42 per kW.
- Add meter rent if the company supplied your meter: ৳40 single-phase or ৳250 three-phase (DPDC and Palli Bidyut notices).
- Add 5% VAT to the total. For a prepaid meter, take off the 0.5% rebate first.
| Step | Working | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| First 75 units | 75 × ৳5.26 | ৳394.50 |
| Next 125 units (76–200) | 125 × ৳8.50 | ৳1,062.50 |
| Next 50 units (201–250) | 50 × ৳9.10 | ৳455.00 |
| Energy charge | ৳1,912.00 | |
| Demand charge | 1 kW × ৳42 | ৳42.00 |
| Subtotal | ৳1,954.00 | |
| VAT | 5% of subtotal | ৳97.70 |
| Total | ৳2,051.70 |
Charges that are not in your units
Four lines do not depend on how much power you used. The demand charge applies even in a month with zero use, because it pays for the capacity kept ready for you. Meter rent applies if the meter belongs to the company. VAT is 5%. On a prepaid meter, BERC gives a 0.5% rebate on the net bill, not counting VAT.
Two more lines can appear. Arrears are unpaid money from earlier bills. The late payment charge is added when a bill was paid after its due date. The amount is printed on your bill, so use that figure, not an estimate.
Why a low bill can cost you more later
Home slabs get more expensive as units rise, so how units are split across months matters. If a month is under-billed and the missing units are added to the next bill, that next bill climbs into higher slabs. Example: a home that uses 300 units in each of two months pays an energy charge of ৳2,367.00 each month, ৳4,734.00 in total. If the first month is billed at only 100 units and the second at 500 units, the total is ৳607.00 plus ৳4,830.00, which is ৳5,437.00. That is ৳703.00 more for the same 600 units, before VAT.
If your total does not match
- A gap of a few taka can come from rounding or a different reading date.
- Check meter rent, arrears and the late payment charge. They are separate lines.
- Check the sanctioned load on the bill. A higher load raises the demand charge.
- Check the category code. A different category uses different rates.
- If the gap is large, call your company: DESCO 16120, DPDC 16116 or WZPDCL 16117. The national power helpline is 16999.
Questions readers ask
How do I calculate my electricity bill from the meter reading?
Subtract the previous reading from the current reading to get your units. Price the units through the slabs for your category, add the demand charge (sanctioned load times the demand rate), add meter rent if it applies, then add 5% VAT. For 250 units on a 1 kW home, the total is 2,051.70 taka.
What is the due date on my electricity bill?
It is the last day to pay without the late payment charge. DESCO says the bill copy shows the amount due, the due date and the late payment charge if you pay after it.
Why do my bills cover different numbers of days?
Meters are read on different dates. DESCO says low-tension meters are usually read between the 5th and the 25th of the month, so the period can be a few days longer or shorter.
Do I pay the demand charge when I use no electricity?
Yes. The demand charge is for the capacity kept ready for you, so it applies in every month. Homes pay 42 taka per kW of sanctioned load.
What is a multiplying factor?
Some meters, usually on larger connections, measure through a current transformer. The units shown on the meter are then multiplied by a factor to get the real units. Most home meters do not need this, so check your bill if it prints a factor.
Where can I find my sanctioned load?
It is printed on your bill. If you cannot find it, ask your company office. A higher sanctioned load than you need means a higher demand charge every month.
Sources and updates
This guide was checked on 7 October 2026. Rates come from the BERC retail tariff order of 3 June 2026 (Order 2026/22) and the 4 June 2026 change that kept the first two home slabs at ৳4.63 and ৳5.26, which DPDC also lists on its tariff page.
- DESCO: your postpaid bill and meter reading schedule
- BERC: retail tariff order 2026/22 (3 June 2026)
- DPDC: tariff rates, June 2026 bill month
This is an independent website, not BERC or an electricity company. Examples are estimates. Your printed bill and your company are the final word. See our disclaimer or tell us about a mistake.