Original Coverage & Source Attribution: www.thedailystar.net
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman yesterday said the government expects to add 3,000-4,000 megawatts of solar power to the national grid before the next summer, as it pursues a plan to reduce dependence on imported energy and ensure a reliable electricity supply.
He made the remarks while inaugurating the first-ever Bangladesh Solar Expo 2026 in the capital’s Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre.
The government has set a target of generating 20 percent of the country’s electricity from renewable sources by 2030 and 30 percent by 2040, the PM said.
He said the government allocated Tk 1,500 crore initially to facilitate financing for solar power expansion, adding that further funds would be arranged in phases to ensure that entrepreneurs and investors in the renewable energy sector were not held back by a lack of finance.
Tarique said the government also introduced the Special Solar Power Installation Ordinance 2026 and taken various policy, tax and duty measures to encourage investment in the sector.
Under a special net-metering arrangement, the government will purchase surplus electricity supplied to the national grid from rooftop solar systems at Tk 10.50 per unit, including incentives, by February 2027, he said.
The premier called on public and private offices, educational institutions, hospitals, industries, commercial establishments, and households to use their unused rooftops for solar power generation.
He said he had also installed solar panels at his residence and was already able to supply some surplus electricity to the national grid after meeting household needs.
The PM said Bangladesh had been turned into a country heavily dependent on energy imports, leaving it vulnerable to disruptions in global supply chains caused by international conflicts.
He said the government provided Tk 43,000 crore in subsidies to the power sector in the 2025-26 fiscal year to keep the country’s energy and electricity situation as normal as possible.
Instead of spending time debating the failures or roles of previous governments in the power sector, the current government’s priority was to meet future electricity demand and ensure uninterrupted supply to households and businesses, he said.
Referring Sfuron, a national sustainable energy idea contest, the PM said the government wanted to make sure that innovative ideas from young people did not disappear because of a lack of funding.
Tarique said Tk 500 crore had been allocated annually in the current budget for startups.
He said over 8,000 new service-provider companies were involved in the solar power sector and urged them to ensure proper installation, regular maintenance, and quality services for customers.
Tarique said the government is aware of the hardships people, particularly those in marginalised communities, are facing due to the country’s energy and power situation.
“To address the challenges, it is working simultaneously to stabilise fuel and electricity supplies, review power-sector expenditure and contracts, increase domestic gas exploration, diversify energy sources, and accelerate solar power expansion. The government is taking comprehensive measures to ensure long-term energy security and a reliable electricity supply.”
Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku presided over the inaugural event, held under the theme “Make Every Inch of Rooftop Useful, Increase Income through Solar Power”.
