The Power Division's National Rooftop Solar Programme to add 3,000 megawatts of electricity through rooftop solar systems by December has failed and shifted its new date to February 28, 2026 as it has yet to start the tendering process.
Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB), the key institution which oversees the National Rooftop Solar Programme could identify only 75 institutions in the last six months; however, it is set to start the tendering process on January 5, an official said.
However, in the last six months, BPDB added only 170 Kilowatts of renewable energy from Kaptai, in 2025 the official said. Energy experts described the plan is a faulty one due to its design. They said it's not a feasible one, as the data showed the government added only 245MW of rooftop solar between June 2008 and June 2025. "Achieving 3,000MW by the next few years through this process is merely impossible, it's a faulty design, it does not say "who is going to do what", this whole thing has only one lacking, that is, leadership: under which leadership it would be implemented. It is not a factory, where you just press the button…it starts production," former energy adviser of caretaker government Dr. M. Tamim told the Daily Observer on Monday.
He said the government plans to follow the regular procedures to implement the robust idea, if it is a fast track project, than you need to do something extra and beyond the regular process as the regular process will take a huge time, Dr. M. Tamim added. The Advisory Council of the interim government endorsed the programme on 29 June, signed MoUs with five ministries and divisions to produce 3,000 megawatts of electricity nationwide. Power Division issued a circular on 7 July, announced it through a press conference to add the electricity to the national grid by the end of December 2025 through installed rooftop solar panels in all government offices, schools, colleges, madrasas and hospitals across the country.
Replying to the question of the fate of the 3,000 MW project, energy expert, BUET professor, Dr. Ijaz Hossain said, it needs US three (3) billion dollars to get the amount, it is a funny thing…who will pay the money? The hospital or the educational institution, or the SREDA he asked.
"It was a verbal instruction, there is no adequate fund for it, without any modality to implement the plan, we need to take a thorough plan and focus on accommodation of technical people in the core committee not the government officials as they will not involve in the projects from start to end…however, this is not the way of work, we should be careful to implement the fund in proper manner; otherwise, we may lose the confidence of the development partners", Dr. Ijaz remarked.
