Bangladesh’s second-largest mobile network operator, Robi Axiata PLC, plans to build a 100-megawatt solar power plant to strengthen energy security, reduce operating costs and support its goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions, the company’s chief executive said.
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Ziad Shatara said the proposed investment was driven by the need to improve business resilience following concerns over global energy supply disruptions, including those linked to tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.
“We plan to develop a solar power plant primarily to ensure business continuity, secondly to strengthen energy security and finally to reduce our carbon emissions to net zero,” Shatara told Just Energy News.
He said recent geopolitical tensions had highlighted the vulnerability of global fuel supply chains and reinforced the importance of diversifying energy sources for critical telecommunications infrastructure.
Robi is in the final stage of a feasibility study for the project and is negotiating the wheeling charge that would apply to transmitting electricity from the proposed solar plant to its network operations, Shatara said.
“We want to ensure the telecommunications sector moves towards net-zero carbon emissions, and this strategic investment in solar power is an important part of that journey,” he added.
According to the company, the project is expected to reduce carbon emissions by around 68,200 tonnes annually once operational.
Chief Corporate and Regulatory Officer Shahed Alam said Bangladesh’s telecommunications regulator, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), had encouraged operators to generate their own electricity to improve the resilience of mobile services.
“We are also seeking to reduce our overall operating costs by using self-generated electricity, particularly as grid electricity tariffs continue to rise,” Alam said.
The proposed renewable energy investment comes as Robi marks nearly five years since its landmark 2020 initial public offering, which was the largest in Bangladesh’s capital market at the time.
The operator said its active subscriber base reached 58.6 million by the second quarter of 2026 after adding 7.67 million subscribers since listing. Internet users account for nearly 79% of its customer base, while 72% use 4G services, the company said.
Robi reported year-on-year growth in revenue and profit after tax between 2021 and 2025. Profit after tax rose 29% in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier.
Since 2021, the company has generated Tk 28.19 billion in cumulative profit after tax and distributed Tk 28.55 billion in dividends, according to company figures.