Sylhet, July 17 (V7N) — Thousands of residents in Sylhet experienced prolonged power outages this week due to repeated server failures in the prepaid electricity metering system operated by the Bangladesh Power Development Board (PDB).

On Monday, July 14, more than 20,000 users were reportedly unable to recharge their meters, leaving homes across the city in complete darkness. The failure, triggered by a technical malfunction in the server, has become a frequent issue in recent months—raising growing concerns over the PDB’s technical preparedness and crisis response.

Customers said they were unable to top up their meters through any of the supported digital payment platforms, including bKash, Nagad, Rocket, and Upay. Although many filed complaints, PDB officials allegedly remained unresponsive until residents began protesting.

Dozens of affected consumers gathered on Monday outside the PDB’s Suburban Electricity Office, holding daylong demonstrations and demanding a permanent fix. Protesters claimed that similar disruptions had occurred repeatedly over the past year, but that authorities had failed to implement any lasting solution despite repeated assurances.

According to PDB officials, the root of the problem lies in the outdated STS (Standard Transfer Specification) prepaid meters that were installed in Sylhet during a previous government administration. The meters, provided by a private company under a soon-to-expire contract, are now being phased out. In their place, the government is introducing CTS (Central Token System) meters, which are expected to resolve ongoing server-related issues.

Officials further explained that many STS meters were programmed with unit caps. Users who had already consumed their designated allotment were unable to access additional power during the outage, making them especially vulnerable during server downtime.

The PDB’s Sylhet divisional office confirmed that between 15,000 and 20,000 STS meters are still active in the city. A gradual transition to the CTS system is currently underway, as per government directives.

The latest system failure coincided with an intense heatwave, worsening the impact on daily life. Households were left without fans, lighting, or refrigeration for several hours. Although the PDB later claimed the issue had been resolved, many users reported ongoing problems and incomplete restoration of services.

The incident has sparked renewed public calls for urgent investment in modernizing Sylhet’s power infrastructure and for a long-term solution to the recurring failures in prepaid electricity systems.

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