Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Tuesday inaugurated the first-ever Bangladesh Solar Expo 2026 as the government steps up efforts to expand solar power generation, attract private investment and promote rooftop solar installations across the country.
He formally opened the two-day expo at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in the capital.
The Prime Minister also distributed prizes among the winners of the idea competition titled “Sfuron: In Search of Sustainable Energy Innovation”.
Later, he visited different stalls at the expo, jointly organised by the Power Division, the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, and the Infrastructure Development Company Limited (IDCOL).
Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku presided over the inaugural programme, held under the theme “Make Every Inch of Rooftop Useful, Increase Income through Solar Power”.
State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Aninda Islam Amit, Finance Secretary Dr Md Khairuzzaman Majumder and Power Division Secretary Mirana Mahrukh, among others, addressed the programme.
Several ministers, state ministers, members of parliament, secretaries and senior government officials also attended the event.
Modern solar technologies, including panels, inverters, smart-grid systems and advanced battery storage, are being showcased at the expo. Financial institutions, project developers and service providers are also presenting financing options, loans and technical assistance for solar projects.
The expo aims to support the implementation of the National Renewable Energy Development Strategy 2026-2030 and raise awareness among stakeholders about government policies and incentives to expand solar power.
Four seminars will be held during the expo under the theme “Policy, People and Capital for Bangladesh’s Solar Revolution”.
The sessions will focus on expanding solar power, promoting rooftop installations at public institutions, strengthening energy security, creating jobs through domestic and industrial rooftop solar, and mobilising private investment and carbon revenue to finance solar projects.
The expo brings together policymakers, government agencies, development partners, financial institutions, technology suppliers, entrepreneurs, investors and consumers to promote cooperation and investment in the renewable energy sector.
The government is encouraging the operational expenditure (OpEx) model, under which third-party companies can install solar panels on the rooftops of public and private institutions without requiring them to make the initial investment.
The government has also taken several policy and fiscal measures to accelerate solar power expansion, including the Special Solar Power Ordinance 2026 and the National Renewable Energy Development Strategy 2026-2030.
Under a special net-metering package, surplus electricity generated by rooftop solar installations will be purchased at Tk 10.50 per unit.
Import duties on solar power and battery-related products have also been reduced to 1 percent, while VAT has been waived.
