Peak and off-peak tariff in Bangladesh: when time-of-day pricing saves money
See the hours, the rates and a break-even number for each category, then try worked examples for a shop, a factory and an electric vehicle.
Peak and off-peak hours
BERC sets the hours for the whole country. Homes on LT-A do not have time-of-day rates, so this guide is for shops, offices, factories, irrigation users and charging stations.
| Period | Hours | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Peak | 5 pm to 11 pm | All time-of-day categories |
| Off-peak | 11 pm to 5 pm the next day | All time-of-day categories, except EV charging |
| EV charging off-peak | 11 pm to 5 am, and 9 am to 5 pm | LT-D3 and MT-7 |
| EV charging super off-peak | 5 am to 9 am | LT-D3 and MT-7 |
The peak share where time-of-day pricing stops saving you money
The order lists a flat rate and separate off-peak and peak rates for these categories. Your bill uses the pricing that your meter and connection support, so check which one it shows. The break-even peak share tells you how the two compare. If your share of units used at peak is below the break-even, peak and off-peak pricing is cheaper than flat. Above it, flat is cheaper.
| Category | Who it is for | Flat | Off-peak | Peak | Peak ÷ off-peak | Break-even peak share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LT-C1 | Small Industry | ৳12.73 | ৳11.45 | ৳15.27 | 1.33× | 34% |
| LT-D3 | EV & Battery Charging Station | ৳11.36 | ৳10.22 | ৳14.20 | 1.39× | 29% |
| LT-E | Commercial & Office | ৳15.36 | ৳13.82 | ৳18.43 | 1.33× | 33% |
| MT-1 | Residential (11kV) | ৳12.50 | ৳11.25 | ৳15.62 | 1.39× | 29% |
| MT-2 | Commercial & Office (11kV) | ৳13.93 | ৳12.54 | ৳17.41 | 1.39× | 29% |
| MT-3 | Industry (11kV) | ৳12.85 | ৳11.56 | ৳16.06 | 1.39× | 29% |
| MT-5 | General Purpose (11kV) | ৳12.58 | ৳11.32 | ৳15.72 | 1.39× | 29% |
| MT-8 | Irrigation & Agriculture (11kV) | ৳7.38 | ৳6.64 | ৳9.23 | 1.39× | 29% |
| HT-1 | General Purpose (33kV) | ৳12.54 | ৳11.28 | ৳15.67 | 1.39× | 29% |
| HT-3 | Industry (33kV) | ৳12.75 | ৳11.47 | ৳15.93 | 1.39× | 29% |
| EHT-1 | General Purpose (132/230kV) | ৳12.66 | ৳11.39 | ৳15.82 | 1.39× | 29% |
Example: a shop on LT-E using 2,000 units a month
| Peak share | Peak units | Cost with peak and off-peak rates | Cost at the flat rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20% | 400 | ৳29,484 | ৳30,720 |
| 30% | 600 | ৳30,406 | ৳30,720 |
| 40% | 800 | ৳31,328 | ৳30,720 |
| 50% | 1000 | ৳32,250 | ৳30,720 |
At 20% peak use the shop pays ৳1,236 less than at the flat rate. At 50% peak use it pays ৳1,530 more. These are energy charges only. Add the demand charge of ৳90 per kW and 5% VAT.
Example: moving 2,000 units out of the peak window
A factory on MT-3 pays ৳16.06 per unit at peak and ৳11.56 off-peak. Moving 2,000 units a month from 5 pm to 11 pm to the off-peak hours saves 2,000 × (৳16.06 − ৳11.56) = ৳9,000 a month before VAT. Ways to do it: start a heavy machine after 11 pm or before 5 pm, fill tanks and run pumps early, and charge batteries off-peak.
Example: charging an electric vehicle
Charging stations have the most hours in the cheapest period. A 60 kWh charge on LT-D3 costs:
| When you charge | Rate | Cost for 60 kWh |
|---|---|---|
| Peak (5 pm to 11 pm) | ৳14.20 | ৳852.00 |
| Flat rate | ৳11.36 | ৳681.60 |
| Off-peak (11 pm to 5 am, 9 am to 5 pm) | ৳10.22 | ৳613.20 |
| Super off-peak (5 am to 9 am) | ৳9.09 | ৳545.40 |
Charging at 6 am instead of 7 pm saves ৳306.60 on one charge, before demand charge and VAT.
How to use this on your own bill
- Look for separate peak and off-peak units on your bill. If you see only one line of units, you are billed at a single rate.
- Work out your peak share: peak units ÷ total units.
- Compare it with the break-even share for your category in the table above.
- If your share is above break-even, try moving work out of 5 pm to 11 pm.
- Check the result on your next bill.
Questions readers ask
What are peak and off-peak hours in Bangladesh?
Peak is 5 pm to 11 pm. Off-peak is 11 pm to 5 pm the next day. For EV charging (LT-D3 and MT-7), off-peak is 11 pm to 5 am and 9 am to 5 pm, and 5 am to 9 am is super off-peak.
Do homes pay peak and off-peak rates?
No. Homes on LT-A pay by slab at any hour. Large residential users on MT-1 (11 kV) have flat, off-peak and peak rates.
How much more does peak cost than off-peak?
For most categories peak is about 33 to 39 percent higher than off-peak. For LT-E shops it is 18.43 taka against 13.82 taka, which is 33 percent more.
What is the break-even peak share?
It is the share of your units used at peak below which peak and off-peak pricing is cheaper than the flat rate. For LT-E it is about 33 percent.
How can a factory lower its energy charge?
Move work out of 5 pm to 11 pm. On MT-3, moving 2,000 units from peak to off-peak saves about 9,000 taka a month before VAT.
Does the demand charge change with the time of day?
No. The demand charge is a fixed amount per kW each month. For HT and EHT it uses the higher of recorded maximum demand or 80% of sanctioned load.
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.
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.