LATEST
3 killed in Houthi claimed attacks on Riyadh airport Early winter vegetables start arriving with soaring prices Stronger internal audit to protect public money, improve service delivery World Post Day observed with focus on integrated postal network Unplanned urbanisation turns Dhaka into heat island Farmers fear losses over banana prices crash Jamaat seeks proof after DNCC chief’s auto-rickshaws remark Limited facilities fuel mental-health crisis ‘Bangladesh can’t shoulder burden of 1.2m Rohingyas alone’ PM calls for action against mental health stigma
Skip to content

Sunday | October 11, 2026 | Dhaka

Parliamentary panel flags slow rooftop solar progress

 Staff Reporter
 Published: 12:01 AM, 11 October 2026  Updated: 11:37 PM, 10 October 2026

A parliamentary standing committee has sought detailed information on electricity generated by rooftop solar systems and supplied to the national grid, questioning the government’s progress towards its target of adding 4,000MW of rooftop solar power by February next year.

At its first meeting at parliament on Saturday, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources asked the ministry to provide a detailed account of monthly progress, project costs and imports of solar panels and inverters at the next meeting.

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, committee member Hasnat Abdullah said the ministry’s data showed only 60MW of rooftop solar had been added to the grid over the past 30 days. At that rate, he said, only 720MW would be added by February, far short of the 4,000MW target.

The committee also sought details of the monthly progress and the letters of credit opened for importing panels and inverters.

It questioned project costs as well. Hasnat said a 50MW project should cost around Tk150 crore, while the ministry had estimated more than Tk350 crore. The committee asked for a detailed breakdown of individual project costs.

The meeting was told that consumers installing rooftop solar systems by 28 February 2027 would receive Tk10.50 per unit for surplus electricity supplied to the grid until 28 February 2030.

According to the Parliament Secretariat, the meeting was informed that the Power Division has 41 ongoing development projects under the Annual Development Programme for 2026-27. They have allocations of Tk10,653 crore in project assistance, Tk4,071.39 crore from government funds and Tk3,381.80 crore from agencies’ own resources.

Gas-fired capacity stands at 12,022MW, but actual generation ranges between 4,000MW and 5,000MW. Coal-fired capacity is 6,927MW, with output of 5,000MW to 6,000MW. Liquid-fuel plants have 6,409MW of capacity but generate 2,500MW to 3,000MW.

Jamaat-e-Islami MP Nazibur Rahman said the ministry had acknowledged mismanagement, corruption and a lack of planning behind the power and energy crisis. However, it failed to update the committee on implementing recommendations of an earlier judge-led inquiry committee on capacity payments, formed after a High Court verdict.

He also questioned the absence of regulations for public hearings on energy price determination by the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC). Section 34 of the 2003 law provides for such hearings, he said, but the process has not been implemented in 23 years. The committee asked whether hearings were held before setting LPG prices and the recent fuel price rise.

Nazibur said global market disruptions were being compounded by domestic mismanagement. He called for accountability in high-priced spot-market fuel purchases, action to stop businesses exploiting the crisis, and a clear timetable for drilling gas wells and expanding onshore and offshore exploration.

Hasnat called for a forensic audit of the Tk2.89 lakh crore paid in capacity charges. The country has 29,000MW of generation capacity but actual generation is around 14,125MW, he said, adding that payments under the Speedy Supply of Power and Energy (Special Provisions) Act 2010 should be examined. Capacity payments, subsidies and overhauling charges beyond actual requirements were pressuring the economy, he said.

Hasnat raised concern that diesel stocks are sufficient for only 31 days, given rural agriculture and transport depend on diesel. The committee sought a plan to raise reserves.

On LPG, he alleged weak monitoring had let market prices rise far above the official rate: consumers were paying Tk2,500 to Tk2,600 per cylinder against the government-set price of around Tk1,800.

The committee also asked why new LNG and coal-fired plants are planned at Maheshkhali and Payra, saying they could undermine efforts to cut dependence on imported energy. It sought projections for generation capacity and peak demand in 2030, expected shares of gas, coal, solar and nuclear power, and a timeline for shutting idle oil-fired plants. It also asked the ministry to distinguish between exploration and development wells after reports that 32 gas wells were drilled in a short time.

Hasnat further raised concerns over excessive and allegedly fictitious electricity bills, saying some consumers had received bills of Tk3 crore to Tk7 crore.

Nazibur said ministry officials arrived without adequate information and preparation. Members will submit questions in advance so officials can give detailed answers at the next meeting.

Committee Chairman Mia Nuruddin Ahmed Apu chaired the meeting, which Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood, State Minister Aninda Islam Amit and other members attended. The committee said its aim was to ensure ministerial accountability and make parliamentary oversight effective.