DHAKA, Aug 24, 2023 (BSS) – State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid today said the integrated hotline ‘16999’ call center will ensure hassle-free services for the electricity consumers across the country.

“It’s a unique number for power consumers across the country, which will ensure quick services through a single call to the hotline number 16999,” he said.

Addressing a function at Bidyut Bhaban as the chief guest, Nasrul Hamid assured that consumers will be able to inform their complainants to the hotline number through a toll-free call.

Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) organized the inauguration ceremony of integrated hotline ‘16999’ call center with its chairman Md Mahbubur Rahman in the chair.

Power Division senior secretary Md Habibur Rahman spoke in the function as the special guest, while higher officials of the six distribution companies delivered their speeches.
“Through launching the integrated customer service of power sector, all consumers can receive all electricity related services in three ways including hotline number 16999, Android mobile app and chat bot,” he added.

The integrated customer management programme is being implemented under the management of Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB), the state minister said.

“Quality of customer services must be improved with coordinated efforts. Customer satisfaction should be the main goal. But the picture is not satisfactory,” he said.

The state minister said that more complaints usually come from the rural electrification board area, adding, “They should be more active. The 16999 hotline number should be printed with bills or on website and send it to customers through SMS.”

Md Habibur Rahman said consumers of six electricity distribution companies like BPDB, Bangladesh Rural electrification Board (BREB), Dhaka Electricity Supply Company (DESCO), Dhaka Power Distribution Company (DPDC), West Zone Power Distribution Company (WZPDC) and Northern Electricity Supply Company (NESCO) will get this service.

He said after calling 16999, a customer can lodge his complaint to the call center operator of a particular electricity distribution company by dialing 1 for BPDB, 2 for BREB, 3 for DESCO, 4 for DPDC, 5 for NESCO and 6 for WZPDCO.

According to the hotline services, once the call center operator fills the details of the customer complaint in the Complaint Management System (CMS) of the particular electricity distribution company, the person responsible for immediate resolution will come to know about the complaint.

Simultaneously, the information will be updated in the Central Complaint Management System of the Power Division. As a result, the senior authorities as well as the six power distribution companies can monitor complaints. The complaint will also be updated on the authority's dashboard.

Apart from this, customers, both prepaid and post paid, can file complaints through Android mobile app with his/her mobile number.

With sincere efforts of the state minister, the BPDB got the unique hot number for ensuring electricity related services across the country, BPDB Chairman Mahbubur Rahman said.