Rangamati: The government plans to install solar panels at 300 primary schools in the remote areas of the hilly Rangamati district to ensure a reliable power supply. These efforts aim to provide electricity to 300 out of 389 schools without a power connection in the district's 10 upazilas.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, officials from the Renewable Energy Wing at the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources have indicated that the government is considering this initiative to bring electricity to these remote schools. The proposal initially came from the Rangamati Deputy Commissioner during the District Commissioners' Conference, and the Power Division has agreed to pursue the project.
The implementation of this solar panel installation plan is anticipated over the next five years. The district administration will first compile a list of schools, which will then be submitted to the Power Division. Once the Cabinet Division approves the projects, the government will evaluate their financial viability, with the district administration overseeing field-level implementation. These projects are yet to be included in the development project proposal (DPP).
Officials from the district administration and Power Division have emphasized the importance of electricity in enhancing educational quality. With electricity, students can access multimedia classrooms and digital technology, enabling them to compete with leading schools across the country. Many families in these remote areas live below the poverty line, and access to electricity could improve their educational prospects.
Currently, 550 schools in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, including Bandarban, Khagrachhari, and Rangamati, have TV and multimedia connections, with 149 schools involved in e-learning. Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Secretary Mohammed Mizanur Rahman stated that the government is striving for 100 percent power supply in the region. A proposal for solar panel installation in remote hilly areas has been recorded as an unapproved project in the government's Annual Development Program (ADP).
The proposed project, known as the Green Leaf Project, has received preliminary approval. If included in the DPP, the project will commence in 2026 and conclude in 2031. Officials from the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs highlight that the lack of consistent power supply hampers the region's educational environment and agricultural production, limiting socioeconomic development. The project aims to address these issues and spur progress in the area.
In May, a proposal was submitted to install solar panels in 300 primary schools in Rangamati's remote hills. The Cabinet Division then requested feedback from relevant ministries on the project's feasibility. The Power Division has expressed support for the long-term implementation of solar panel installations.