The government aims to add 3,000-4,000 megawatts of solar power to the national grid before the start of next summer, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has said.
To facilitate the installation and expansion of solar power, the government has introduced the Special Solar Power Installation Ordinance 2026, along with policy support, tax and tariff benefits, and financial incentives, he said.
The prime minister made the remarks while inaugurating the two-day Bangladesh Solar Expo 2026 at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Dhaka on Tuesday.
“If everything goes according to plan, InshaAllah, the government will be able to add 3,000-4,000MW of solar power to the national grid before the next summer season,” he said.
Tarique said the government wants rooftops of public and private offices, educational institutions, hospitals, factories, commercial establishments and residential buildings to be used for solar power generation.
Under the net metering system, the government will purchase surplus electricity supplied to the national grid by solar power users at Tk10.50 per unit, including incentives, by February 2027, he said.
Tk1,500 crore fund for solar expansion
The prime minister announced an initial allocation of Tk1,500 crore to facilitate financing for solar power entrepreneurs and investors. Additional funds will be arranged gradually, depending on requirements.
“Solar power entrepreneurs are the key to this initiative. The government wants to ensure that entrepreneurs and investors in the renewable energy sector do not fall behind simply because of a lack of financing,” he said.
He said tax and tariff benefits had been introduced to encourage the import and domestic production of essential solar equipment, including panels, inverters and batteries.
The government is not only focused on increasing electricity generation but also on reducing the cost of electricity for consumers, he added.
Tarique said more than 8,000 service providers are currently involved in the solar power sector.
He urged them to ensure proper maintenance of installed systems and provide necessary services to customers. He also called on power distribution companies and relevant agencies to maintain regular communication with entrepreneurs and address their concerns.
17,000 irrigation pumps to run on solar power within a year
Highlighting the potential of solar energy in agriculture, the prime minister said the government had begun converting electricity-powered irrigation pumps into solar-powered ones.
The initiative has already started in the Barind region, he said, adding that the government expects to bring 17,000 irrigation pumps under solar power within the next year.
Solar energy could also create new opportunities for agricultural product preservation and rural small entrepreneurs, he added.
Energy crisis linked to import dependence
Addressing the country's energy situation, Tarique said Bangladesh had been turned into an entirely import-dependent country, leaving it vulnerable to disruptions in global supply chains amid international conflicts.
As a result, the country has been facing challenges in ensuring uninterrupted energy and electricity supplies, he said.
The government has already provided Tk43,000 crore in subsidies to the power sector in the 2025-26 fiscal year to maintain a stable electricity supply, the prime minister said.
He said the government had increased diesel reserves and taken steps to ensure coal supplies to coal-fired power plants. It was also maintaining contact with alternative suppliers to secure energy supplies.
An additional Tk6,000 crore has been allocated to procure fuel for electricity generation, he added.
The prime minister said the government was working to ensure energy security by reviewing power sector expenditure and contracts, increasing domestic gas exploration, diversifying energy sources and accelerating solar power expansion.
He said the government had set a target of generating 20% of the country's electricity from renewable sources by 2030.
“Instead of wasting time discussing and criticising the failures or roles of previous governments in ensuring energy security and electricity generation, I believe our priority should be how to meet the country's electricity demand in the coming days and ensure uninterrupted power supply to households and businesses,” he said.
The government is aware of the hardships caused by the current energy situation, particularly for people in marginalised communities, he added.
PM installs solar panels at his residence
Calling for greater public participation in solar power expansion, Tarique said he had installed solar panels at his own residence before urging others to follow suit.
“Before making this appeal to you, I have installed solar panels at my own residence. Almost every day, I am able to supply some surplus electricity generated at my home to the national grid,” he said.
He stressed the need for coordinated efforts by the public and private sectors to expand solar power generation and reduce the cost of solar equipment.
The prime minister also urged people to use electricity responsibly by making maximum use of natural light during the day and switching off unnecessary lights, fans and electronic appliances at homes, offices and business establishments.
Call for expatriate investment
The prime minister said expatriate Bangladeshis also had opportunities to invest in the country's solar power sector.
He stressed that the solar expo should not remain limited to a two-day event but should help create new entrepreneurs, attract investment, connect banks with entrepreneurs and generate training and employment opportunities for young people.
He also called on development partners to extend financial and technical assistance to local small entrepreneurs and businesses alongside large-scale renewable energy projects.
Tk500 crore allocated for startups
At the event, the prime minister distributed awards among winners of an innovative ideas competition featuring proposals on renewable energy and other sectors.
He said more than 300 talented young people had presented innovative ideas in the competition.
Tarique said the government wanted to encourage innovation and ensure that promising ideas did not disappear because of a lack of funding.
“An innovative idea of yours could become a game-changing initiative for Bangladesh. To ensure that no innovative idea from young people is lost due to a lack of funds, the government has allocated Tk500 crore for startups in the current budget,” he said.
He also said generating electricity from domestic sources was essential to ensuring an uninterrupted power supply and establishing a self-reliant Bangladesh.
Referring to the participation of entrepreneurs, service providers and young innovators at the expo, he said electricity could be generated at lower costs instead of relying on what he described as looting in the name of quick rental power plants.
The theme of this year's Bangladesh Solar Expo 2026 is “Utilise Every Inch of Rooftop, Increase Earnings from Solar Power”.
The two-day event has been jointly organised by the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources and Infrastructure Development Company Limited (IDCOL).
Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku chaired the inaugural ceremony. State Minister for Energy and Mineral Resources Anindya Islam Amit, Finance Secretary Khairuzzaman Majumder and Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Secretary Mirana Mahrook also spoke.
Following the inauguration, the prime minister visited different stalls at the expo.