Dhaka:The government has initiated a plan to expand the use of renewable energy by promoting rooftop solar power installations at both public and private institutions through the Operational Expenditure (OPEX) model, as announced by Dr. Zahed Ur Rahman, Prime Minister's Adviser on Information and Broadcasting.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the OPEX model will facilitate these installations by allowing third-party investments, eliminating the need for institutions to invest their own capital. Dr. Rahman emphasized the prioritization of solar power to address the ongoing energy crisis and increase renewable energy usage in the short and long term.
During a press briefing at the Press Information Department (PID) at the Secretariat, Dr. Rahman outlined the government's efforts, including the adoption of the Special Solar Power Ordinance 2026 and the National Renewable Energy Development Strategy for 2026-2030, aimed at accelerating solar power expansion and removing administrative barriers. Additionally, a special package has been introduced to promote rooftop solar through the net metering system, allowing the purchase of surplus electricity.
In other developments, Dr. Rahman noted the progress of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project, with Unit-1 entering the power start-up stage on October 29. This unit is expected to gradually commence commercial power generation and connect to the national grid, providing significant relief to the current energy crisis.
Regarding market stability and consumer protection, the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection carried out 993 monitoring drives from October 1 to 31, imposing fines totaling Tk 1.77 crore to stabilize essential goods prices. Furthermore, the nationwide data collection for the Small Ethnic Communities Census, assessing the socioeconomic conditions and poverty levels of these communities, was successfully completed between October 1 and 25.
Additional Secretary of Information and Broadcasting Ministry Md Shah Alam and Principal Information Officer of PID Syed Abdal Ahmad were also present at the briefing.