Solar Push Begins: Govt plans 5,000MW green power drive

The government has set an ambitious target to generate 5,000 megawatts of electricity from solar power within the next five years, as Bangladesh seeks to reduce pressure on conventional energy sources and accelerate its transition towards renewable power.

Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood Tuku announced the plan on Tuesday after attending the third day of the Deputy Commissioners’ Conference at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka. As part of the initial step, the government has instructed all deputy commissioner offices across the country to install solar panels within the next three months.

“As an initial step towards achieving this goal, instructions have been issued to install solar panels at all deputy commissioner offices across the country within the next three months,” the minister told journalists.

The move signals the government’s attempt to begin the renewable energy push from public institutions before expanding the model more widely. Officials believe government buildings, district-level offices and other public facilities can play a visible role in promoting solar adoption at the local level.

The minister said district commissioners have assured full cooperation in implementing renewable energy initiatives across the country.

Field-level officials were also briefed during the conference on the country’s current electricity and energy situation so they can provide accurate information to people at the local level.

Tuku described the solar power expansion plan as an environment-friendly initiative aligned with the government’s Sustainable Development Goals.

The announcement comes at a time when Bangladesh is under pressure to diversify its power generation mix. Although the country has approved around 1,700MW of solar projects, less than 200MW has so far reached commercial operation, pointing to major implementation gaps in the renewable energy sector.

Energy analysts have long pointed to land scarcity, delays in project execution, financing challenges, grid connectivity problems and bureaucratic complications as some of the major barriers to large-scale solar expansion. Against that backdrop, the new 5,000MW target is likely to require faster approvals, stronger coordination among agencies and major private sector participation.

The government’s decision to start with deputy commissioner offices may help create administrative momentum, but experts say the broader success of the plan will depend on how quickly solar projects move from approval to actual generation.

Apart from solar power, the minister also addressed recent electricity disruptions in different parts of the country. He said the interruptions were caused by technical faults, not by fuel shortages.

According to Tuku, rural electricity distribution lines are often very long, making it difficult to immediately identify faults when problems occur. As a result, some areas may face temporary supply interruptions, but power is restored once repairs are completed.

“Due to this technical reason, there may be temporary disruptions in electricity supply, but the situation is quickly restored after repairs,” he said.

The minister said such disruptions should not generally be described as load shedding.

He strongly rejected claims that recent power outages were caused by a shortage of fuel. He said there was no fuel supply crisis behind the disruptions and that the outages were linked to technical issues in the distribution system.

Tuku also thanked deputy commissioners for their role in tackling what he described as attempts to create artificial fuel shortages in recent days. He said local administrations had worked actively to address the situation and prevent misinformation.

During the conference, district-level officials were given a detailed briefing on the electricity and energy situation so they could communicate the government’s position more clearly to people in their areas.

The minister’s remarks suggest that the government is trying to address two issues at once: managing public concern over power disruptions and building support for a long-term renewable energy transition.
If implemented successfully, the 5,000MW solar target could mark a major shift in Bangladesh’s power sector. But given the slow progress of earlier solar projects, the challenge will be turning policy announcements into actual electricity generation.

For now, the government is presenting solar power as a key part of its future energy strategy, beginning with public offices and gradually moving towards broader national expansion.