Solar power is emerging as a vital solution for Bangladesh’s energy security amid the volatile Middle Eastern situation severely disrupting global petroleum supplies. Experts emphasize the need for an intensified government campaign for clean energy to ensure economic resilience.
Shafiqul Alam, Lead Energy Analyst at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), stressed that clean energy is crucial for ensuring energy security and economic resilience. He noted that countries like China, India, and Pakistan, which have made substantial investments in renewables, experienced less severe economic impacts from recent geopolitical instability.
Professor Dr. Ijaz Hossain, a former dean of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), praised the government’s recent budgetary allocations and the declaration of a 10-year zero-tariff facility on solar panel imports. However, he highlighted the need for simplified tax benefits for all entrepreneurs to replicate the massive growth of solar power seen in countries like Pakistan.
The government has set ambitious targets to meet 20 percent of the country's total electricity demand from renewable energy sources by 2030 and 30 percent by 2040. Currently, 1807.75 MW of electricity comes from renewable sources, with solar leading at 1514.66 MW. The Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) has signed contracts with independent power producers to install solar power plants with a combined generation capacity of 818 MW by January 2028.
The government has also introduced major tax incentives for the renewable energy sector, including zero import duties on solar equipment, aiming to cut power generation costs by 25–30 percent. Despite these efforts, experts suggest further boosting clean energy to meet the 7 percent annual growth demand of electricity through green energy sources.
