The Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) and Dhaka Electric Supply Company (DESCO) Limited have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to install, operate, and maintain a 150 kilowatt-peak (kWp) rooftop solar power system at BIDA’s headquarters, Biniyog Bhaban, in Agargaon.
The signing ceremony, held at the Investment Building’s conference room, was presided over by BIDA Executive Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun. Brig Gen (retd) Shamim Ahmed, attended as the special guest.
BIDA Director Md. Maruful Alam signed the MoU on behalf of BIDA, while DESCO Company Secretary Engineer Mohammad Kamruzzaman signed on behalf of the power distributor.
Under the agreement, DESCO will implement, operate, and maintain the solar system on a 9,105-square-foot rooftop area. The 20-year project, involving an installation cost of Tk 8.9 million and Tk 8.7 million for maintenance and replacement, is expected to generate about 2.85 million kilowatt-hours of electricity over its lifespan — valued at approximately Tk 29.9 million.
DESCO will consume 90 percent of the generated electricity, while BIDA will receive the remaining 10 percent. The two entities will share carbon credits equally.
Work on the project will begin with a tender call on October 1, 2025, with commercial generation targeted to start by January 31, 2026.
The initiative is in line with the government’s renewable energy targets of generating 20 percent of electricity from renewable sources by 2030 and 30 percent by 2040.
“This project will serve as a model for government institutions, encouraging similar initiatives across the country,” BIDA Executive Chairman Ashik Chowdhury said at the ceremony.
In July, the interim government launched the National Rooftop Solar Programme, aiming to install solar systems in government offices, educational institutions, and hospitals to generate 3,000 megawatts of electricity by December 2025.