State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam has said that the use of solar power will be gradually ensured across all offices and agencies under the Ministry of Local Government. He said initiatives would also be taken in the next phase to introduce solar power in other government offices.

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

The state minister said there is a plan to install solar power systems on the rooftops of government offices. This would help reduce electricity costs at government institutions while increasing the use of renewable energy. He noted that solar power has already been introduced at the Parliament complex and that the initiative would gradually be expanded to other government offices.

He further said that introducing solar power at the headquarters of offices and agencies under the local government sector could significantly reduce the government’s electricity expenditure. The plan is not limited to the central level; the government also intends to gradually ensure solar power facilities at every office at the district, upazila, municipality and union levels.

The state minister said excess electricity generated from solar systems installed at local government offices and agencies could be supplied to the national grid through the net metering system. This would create an opportunity for local government institutions to generate revenue by supplying surplus electricity to the grid.

Regarding the implementation process, he said two separate committees would be formed under the leadership of two additional secretaries from the Local Government Division and the Rural Development and Cooperatives Division. The committees will hold discussions with companies involved in the solar power sector, including Walton, PRAN-RFL and Grameen Shakti, and make decisions on the method of installing solar power systems at government offices, estimated costs and other relevant matters.

The meeting was informed that the Cabinet Division issued a directive on August 10 to increase the use of solar power in government offices. The circular called 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. As part of this initiative, steps are now being taken to expand solar power use in institutions under the Local Government Division and the Rural Development and Cooperatives Division.

After the meeting, the state minister briefed journalists. During the question-and-answer session, he said work was underway to formulate a separate set of regulations to regulate battery-powered rickshaws (e-rickshaws). He also presented a brief overview of the activities carried out by the Ministry of Local Government over the past 180 days and said the government plans to complete elections to the five tiers of local government within the current fiscal year.

Among those present at the meeting were Local Government Division Secretary Md. Shahidul Hasan; Rural Development and Cooperatives Division Secretary Mohang Shaukat Rashid Chowdhury; Dhaka WASA Managing Director Md. Aminul Islam; Registrar and Director General of the Department of Cooperatives Md. Selim Fakir, ndc; Director General of the Bangladesh Rural Development Board A.K.M. Tarek; Chief Engineer of the Department of Public Health Engineering Md. Abdul Awal; Chief Engineer of the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) Md. Belal Hossain; and Director General of the Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development (BARD), Cumilla, Saif Uddin Ahmed. Heads of various offices, agencies and institutions under the Local Government and Rural Development and Cooperatives divisions, as well as senior officials of the ministry, were also present.

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