Govt plans third-phase solar project for full electrification in hill tracts
The government plans to launch a third-phase solar power project to achieve full electrification in the remote hill districts of Rangamati, Bandarban and Khagrachhari.
The Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs plans to implement the five-year project from 2026 to 2031 to bring electricity to remote areas where grid expansion is difficult and expensive.
Ministry officials said unreliable electricity continues to hamper education, agriculture and socio-economic development in remote hill areas, making off-grid solar power the most practical and sustainable solution.
The government is yet to decide whether the project will be implemented by the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs or the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources.
The proposal was discussed at this year's Deputy Commissioners' Conference, where the Deputy Commissioner of Rangamati recommended a dedicated project to provide uninterrupted electricity and achieve full electrification in the hill districts.
Following the proposal, the Cabinet Division sought opinions from the relevant ministries to assess the project's feasibility.
Secretary of the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Mohammad Mizanur Rahman told BSS that the project has been included in the Annual Development Programme (ADP) as an unapproved "Green Leaf" project, meaning it has received preliminary policy recognition and may later be developed into a full Development Project Proposal (DPP).
"If the project is approved under the DPP, implementation will begin in 2026 and continue until 2031," he said.
Officials said both the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources and the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs have submitted separate proposals to the Planning Commission to expand electricity coverage in the hill districts.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has also emphasised expanding renewable energy to address global energy challenges.
On July 26, he said the government was positively considering allowing solar power generation on uncultivable land in tea gardens and assured necessary financial support for renewable energy initiatives.
According to the latest June report of the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED), the second phase of the solar electrification project in the Chittagong Hill Tracts has already been completed.
However, many remote settlements remain without electricity despite the completion of the project.
The report said the region's rugged topography, dense forests and poor transport infrastructure make grid expansion highly expensive and technically difficult.
As a result, off-grid solar photovoltaic systems have been identified as the most effective, practical and sustainable solution for providing electricity to remote communities.
The second-phase project, titled "Electricity Supply through Installation of Solar Panels (Phase II)," was implemented from July 2020 to June 2023 at an estimated cost of Taka 21,771 lakh.
Field-level assessments found that the project significantly improved the quality of life of beneficiary households, with all beneficiaries gaining access to lighting and mobile phone charging facilities.