Photo: Collected
The Local Government Division has directed that solar power systems be installed at the haats and bazaars of every union in all upazilas of the country. It has asked that the systems be made operational by 31 January 2027 and the surplus electricity generated be supplied to the national grid under the net metering system.
In a directive issued on 24 September from the Upazila-2 branch of the Local Government Division, the administrators of all upazila parishads and the upazila nirbahi officers of the country were asked to take necessary steps in this regard.
The directive mentions that the government has taken an initiative to increase the use of renewable energy in order to ensure sustainable energy security. As part of this, solar power systems with batteries have to be installed on the rooftops of the existing local, district and upazila-level office buildings of the departments, agencies and institutions under the Local Government Division and of the buildings under them. Keeping at least two hours of battery backup in these systems is mandatory.
It further says that after meeting the concerned institution’s own demand with solar power, the surplus electricity has to be given to the national grid under the net metering system.
According to the Net Metering Guidelines, 2025, money will be received at the rate of Tk 10.50 for each unit of electricity supplied to the national grid. This will create an opportunity for the revenue income of local government institutions to increase.
As per the directive, the use of solar power has to be ensured at all haats and bazaars in every upazila of the country.
For this work, the specified money can be spent from the lease income of haats and bazaars in accordance with sub-rules (3) and (5) of rule 10 of the Haat and Bazaar (Establishment and Management) Rules, 2025.
Initiatives have to be taken to install and commercially expand solar power systems with the 10 per cent of lease income earmarked for the maintenance or development of the haat and bazaar concerned and a further 10 per cent of the money earmarked for the maintenance or development of the haats and bazaars within the upazila.
A directive has also been given to sign a contract on non-judicial stamp with the company installing the solar panels for repair and maintenance for the next 20 years. This will ensure long-term maintenance of the installed systems.
Besides, necessary steps have been asked to be taken to install solar power systems considering the rooftop area of the permanent sheds of every haat and bazaar in the upazila and of the four-to-five-storey buildings constructed at various markets by the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED).
The Local Government Division said the use of solar power at haats and bazaars will, on the one hand, expand renewable energy and, on the other, create an opportunity to meet electricity demand at the local level and supply excess electricity to the national grid. At the same time, the revenue income of local government institutions may also increase through net metering.
The directive, signed by Local Government Division Deputy Secretary Sultana Akter, has been sent to the administrators of upazila parishads and all upazila nirbahi officers of the country.
