Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said his government plans to add 3,000-4,000 megawatts of solar power to the national grid before next summer, as it seeks to reduce dependence on imported energy and ease pressure on electricity supplies through domestic renewable energy generation.
The prime minister announced the target on Tuesday while inaugurating Bangladesh Solar Expo 2026 at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Dhaka.
He said the government had allocated an initial 1,500 crore taka to facilitate financing for solar power expansion and would arrange additional funds as necessary.
“If everything proceeds according to plan, the government will, Insha'Allah, be able to add 3,000 to 4,000 megawatts of solar power to the national grid before the beginning of the summer season,” he said.
The ambitious target comes as Bangladesh struggles with energy supply uncertainties stemming from its dependence on imported fuel and disruptions to international supply chains amid global conflicts.
The government has also set a target of generating 20% of the country's electricity from renewable sources by 2030 and 30% by 2040, signalling a policy shift towards diversifying the energy mix.
A central part of the government's strategy is to expand rooftop solar installations across public and private buildings, including government offices, schools, colleges, hospitals, industrial facilities, commercial establishments and residential properties.
The prime minister called on institutions and households to utilise their unused rooftop spaces for electricity generation.
Under the net metering system, consumers who generate more solar electricity than they use will be able to supply the surplus to the national grid.
The government plans to purchase surplus electricity at 10.50 taka per unit, including incentives, by February 2027, the prime minister said.
He also disclosed that he had installed solar panels at his own residence and was already supplying surplus electricity to the national grid after meeting his household's demand.
“Before calling upon you to generate solar electricity, I myself installed solar panels at my residence,” he said.
The proposed purchase arrangement could encourage households and businesses to invest in rooftop solar systems by creating an additional revenue stream beyond savings on electricity bills.
Addressing financing constraints in the renewable energy sector, the prime minister said the government had initially allocated 1,500 crore taka to support solar power expansion.
He said the government wanted to ensure that entrepreneurs and investors were not discouraged from entering the sector simply because of a lack of funding.
The government has also formulated the Special Solar Power Installation Law to facilitate solar power installation and expansion. It has introduced policy support, tax and tariff concessions, and financial incentives to encourage investment.
Tarique said concessions had also been provided to encourage the import and domestic production of essential solar equipment, including panels, inverters and batteries.
“Increasing electricity generation is not the government’s only objective; reducing the cost of electricity for consumers is also a priority,” he said.
He called for stronger cooperation among public and private institutions, financial organisations and development partners to accelerate investment in renewable energy.
The prime minister linked the push for renewable energy to Bangladesh's vulnerability to disruptions in international fuel supplies.
He said the country had been turned into an entirely import-dependent state, leaving it exposed to supply disruptions caused by global conflicts.
To maintain electricity and fuel supplies, the government provided 43,000 crore taka in subsidies to the power sector in the 2025-26 fiscal year, he said.
For the current fiscal year, the government has increased diesel reserves, taken steps to ensure coal supplies for coal-fired power plants and maintained contact with alternative suppliers.
It has also allocated 600 crore taka to procure fuel oil for electricity generation, according to the prime minister.
Rather than spending time debating the failures or roles of previous governments in the power sector, the current administration's priority is to ensure sufficient electricity for households, businesses and industries, he said.
“The current government’s top priority is to determine how electricity demand can be met in the coming days and how an uninterrupted power supply can be ensured for households, businesses and industries,” Rahman said.
He added that the government was simultaneously reviewing power-sector expenditure and contracts, intensifying domestic gas exploration, diversifying energy sources and working to stabilise fuel and electricity supplies.
In a pointed reference to previous power-generation arrangements, Rahman criticised what he described as plundering in the name of quick-rental power plants.
“The country's electricity problems can certainly be addressed through cost-effective solutions rather than plundering in the name of quick-rental power plants,” he said.
He argued that renewable energy offered an alternative to expensive electricity generation and could help the country achieve greater energy independence.
The remarks signal the government's intention to place greater emphasis on cost efficiency and domestic energy resources in its power-sector strategy.
The prime minister also identified agriculture as another major area for solar power expansion.
The government plans to gradually replace electricity-powered irrigation pumps with solar-powered alternatives, which he said would reduce farmers' production costs, protect the environment and save electricity for the national grid.
Solar energy could also create new opportunities for cold storage facilities, agricultural produce preservation and small-scale rural businesses, he added.
He urged more than 8,000 service-provider companies involved in the solar sector to ensure proper installation, regular maintenance and reliable customer service.
He also called on electricity distribution companies and relevant institutions to maintain regular communication with solar entrepreneurs and address their concerns.
The prime minister said the government had allocated 500 crore taka annually for startups to ensure that innovative ideas, particularly those developed by young people, did not disappear because of a lack of funding.
He said more than 300 young participants had presented innovative ideas in a competition organised around renewable energy and related issues at the expo.
“A single innovative idea of yours could potentially be a game-changer for Bangladesh,” he said.
He called for greater opportunities for young people to participate in innovation, training and employment in the renewable energy sector.
The prime minister also urged development partners and non-resident Bangladeshis to invest not only in large-scale solar projects but also in initiatives led by local entrepreneurs and small businesses.
He said the government wanted the two-day expo to create lasting business opportunities, connect banks with entrepreneurs and encourage solar power expansion across every district and upazila.
“Let us turn sunlight into a national resource and build a prosperous, self-reliant and environmentally sustainable Bangladesh for present and future generations,” he said.