Customers facing trouble in paying DESCO bill through bKash

The prepaid customers of Dhaka Electric Supply Company (DESCO) are facing a big challenge  while paying bills through mobile financial service bKash. Through investigation into the matter, it has been found that the app which was developed for the customer service of DESCO remains nonfunctional most of the time. The updated information regarding the amount and usage of the customer's deposit is not available in this app. Users reported that since May 17, the updated information regarding customer usage and amount deposited in the prepaid meter is not available on the DESCO app.

And from October 1, no money is being added to the account of the customers even after the bill of prepaid meter is paid through MFS service bKash. As a result, even if customers pay money, they are unable to use electricity with that money. The affected customers do not even know where the money is being deposited. ​

Despite all the fuss, DESCO has not yet made any announcement about this on their website. Officconcerned of DESCO told View Bangladesh that customers are facing this kind of problem while using only bKash app. bKash authorities have also been asked to take action to resolve the problem. But they could not give any clear idea about what will be done about the customers' money. DESCO high ups also could not give any clear explanation as to why the updated information is not available in the app.

Affected customers said that when they call the call center of MFS service for such problems, bKash customer care providers say that the problem occurred from DESCO end and no other kind of assistance is provided. As a result, customers are also confused about who will solve this problem.

Information technology expert Suman Ahmed Sabir told Views Bangladesh that in the world of modern technology, 98 percent of customer problems are now solved through apps. However, none of the apps developed by the government institutions in our country work properly.

Because this app has errors in its construction as well as its management is very weak. At the same time, now instead of human assistance in call center, customers can get their desired services and solve problems by themselves from the link of smart IVR or such technology. But our public and private service providers in various sectors have so far failed to introduce smart customer service. The kind of call center they are running is not really smart technology and not very helpful to the customer.

Suman Ahmed Sabir

Where is the end of the suffering?

DESCO has a total of 1,240,140 customers. Of them, some 671,781 use prepaid electric meters. DESCO prepaid meter users have a common group on social media platform Facebook. The name of the group is "DESCO Prepaid Meter users of Bangladesh" and there is another common group called "PrePaid Meter Help Group" for prepaid meter users. Where customers of other distribution companies also share their experience of using prepaid meters. By looking at the status of the members in both groups, it can be seen that the experience of using prepaid meters is not very good like that of DESCO.

Many DESCO prepaid meter users wrote: “Since 1st October no money is being added to the bKash app after bill payment. For this, prepaid meter customers have to approach the electricity office. If they go to electricity office, they are asked to go to DESCO's vending office or authorized agent shop instead of paying the bill through BKash. But the customer has already sent the money through bKash app and the whereabouts of the money is not found. DESCO officials are not able to tell them what to do about it. In this way, there is no account of how many customers have swindled the amount of money in last three days in the tug of war between DESCO and bKash authorities."

DESCO prepaid meter user Swaeb Masum wrote on his Facebook: "Since May 17, I have not been able to see the updated information on how much money is being deposited in the DESCO app installed on my smartphone. Wanted to know if anyone else is facing the same issue." Another user named Saiful Haque tgen suggested:"The meter may be offline." He advised to go to the nearest electricity office with the card."

When attention was drawn to this matter, information technologist Suman Ahmed Sabir said: "If the meter is offline, the information is also not available on the online app. This proves that DESCO app is not efficient or advanced enough. Such apps are giving wrong idea about digital services among common people.

Many of the customers wrote that if more than 50 units are used, an additional cost of Tk25 is added that day. Some customers have written that if they recharge Tk500, Tk175 actually being added. The information of that added money is shown in the app after one day. Moreover, there is no clear information on the app about why Tk325 has been deducted. As a result, this app is creating confusion among the customers. Some have also raised such questions with screenshots of their bills and electricity usage whether DESCO is overcharging prepaid meter users. The customers have also complained that the amount of the bill is increasing every month even though the amount of electricity consumption is not increasing.

When attention was drawn to these issues, DESCO Executive Engineer MM Atiqul Islam said that they have already come to know about customer's sufferings. He claimed that there is no problem with Desco's servers. Claiming that it is bKash's problem, he said: "The matter has already been informed to the bKash authorities. He also said that there is no problem in getting money from Nagad, My Cash, DBBL or anywhere else except bKash.

DESCO Chief Engineer ICT Shamim Ahsan Chowdhury, however, said otherwise. He said: "Such bKash customers of Nikunj-1, Shewrapara, Kazipara, Tolarabagh, Pirerbagh, and Mirpur Beribandh areas are facing problems in paying bill through bKash. When asked about the reason, he said: "We use Robi and Grameen phone network. Often the meters are placed in where the networks of these two mobile operators are very weak. In such cases, problem is being solved when customers call DESCO hotline number or directly come to the office. However, he could not say anything clearly about the fact that the app does not show any updated information.

He said that information regarding customer usage and deposits is updated once a day on the app. On October 2, a written query was sent to the bKash to learn about their clarification.But, no reply was received so far. Views Bangladesh will attach their clarification to this report with importance once any reply from their end comes.