Government to Expand Solar Power Across Offices

The government has taken an initiative to gradually ensure the use of solar power across all offices, agencies and institutions under the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives.

Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives State Minister Mir Shahe Alam said rooftop solar power systems would initially be introduced at offices under the Local Government Division and the Rural Development and Cooperatives Division. The initiative would subsequently be expanded to other government offices.

He made the remarks as the chief guest at a review meeting on solar power use in offices, agencies and institutions under the two divisions at the conference room of the Local Government Division at the Secretariat on Monday (August 17).

The state minister said installing rooftop solar systems at government offices could significantly reduce electricity expenditure while increasing the use of renewable energy.

He said solar power use had already begun at the Parliament building and would gradually be expanded to other government offices.

According to him, the initiative would not remain limited to central government offices. Solar power systems would eventually be introduced at offices at the district, upazila, municipality and union levels.

The government plans to use net metering to manage electricity generated through solar systems installed at local government offices.

Under the system, surplus electricity generated by an office can be supplied to the national grid. The state minister said this could create an opportunity for local government institutions to generate revenue from surplus electricity while reducing their own electricity costs.

The initiative would also allow unused rooftop space at government buildings to be utilised for renewable power generation.

Two separate committees, led by two additional secretaries from the Local Government Division and the Rural Development and Cooperatives Division, will be formed to determine the implementation process.

The committees will consult companies involved in the solar power sector, including Walton, PRAN-RFL and Grameen Shakti.

They will examine installation methods, potential costs and other relevant issues before determining how solar power systems can be introduced across government offices.

The meeting noted that the Cabinet Division issued a directive on August 10 to increase the use of solar power in government offices.

The directive calls for the majority of electricity used for official activities at Bangabhaban, the Cabinet Division, the Prime Minister’s Office, the Planning Commission and the Finance Division to come from solar power.

The expansion of solar energy use across offices and institutions under the Local Government and Rural Development and Cooperatives divisions is being undertaken as part of that broader initiative.

After the meeting, the state minister briefed journalists on the government’s other activities. He said work was underway to formulate separate regulations for controlling battery-powered rickshaws, commonly known as e-rickshaws.

He also outlined the ministry’s activities over the past 180 days and said the government planned to complete elections to all five tiers of local government within the current fiscal year.

Local Government Division Secretary Md Shahidul Hasan, Rural Development and Cooperatives Division Secretary Mohang Shawkat Rashid Chowdhury, Dhaka WASA Managing Director Md Aminul Islam, Registrar and Director General of the Department of Cooperatives Md Selim Fakir, NDC, Bangladesh Rural Development Board Director General A.K.M. Tarek, Chief Engineer of the Department of Public Health Engineering Md Abdul Awal, Chief Engineer of the Local Government Engineering Department Md Belal Hossain and Director General of the Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development, Cumilla, Saif Uddin Ahmed attended the meeting.

Heads of various offices, agencies and institutions under the two divisions, along with senior officials of the ministries, were also present.

//DBTech/AIF/MIS//