DHAKA, July 27, 2025 (BSS) - Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) has appreciated the government's initiative to add around 3,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity to the national grid through rooftop solar installations on public buildings.
 
Focusing on proper pre-planning and effective implementation guidelines for the successful implementation of the initiative, the think tank observed that it will help Bangladesh achieve the renewable energy goals.
 
CPD today made the observation at a discussion on "National Rooftop Solar Energy Programme: Proposals for its Design, Implementation, Monitoring, and Evaluation" at CPD office in the city.
 
CPD and Bangladesh Sustainable and Renewable Energy Association (BSREA) jointly organised the discussion.
 
CPD Research Director Dr Khondaker Golam Moazzem moderated the discussion while CPD Senior Research Associate Helen Mashiyat Preoty and BSREA Member Md Nasir Uddin delivered presentations.
 
In her presentation, Helen Mashiyat Preoty said the programme should kick start with the piloting of the selected areas instead of going full swing.
 
The piloting sample should be selected based on radiation impact, available finances in different divisions, grid readiness, major load shedding areas and presence of REB Somities, she added.
 
The new programme must learn from the failure of the previous programme and must not repeat the similar policy, she added.
 
She said the policy on the programme must refrain from becoming a "tick-box" culture in public buildings by designing policies that tie budget disbursement to actual energy generation, not installation.
 
"There should be a policy guideline for the successful implementation of the programme. All sorts of customs duty, import duty, VAT and Tax should be exempted from solar panels, battery and inverters," she added.
 
To maximize the effectiveness of the National Rooftop Solar Programme, Preoty said, site selection must be driven by solar radiation potential and the geographic distribution of government offices. 
 
"A tailored, location-specific approach is essential to ensure technical and financial feasibility across diverse regions of Bangladesh," she added.
 
 To ensure the success of Bangladesh's National Rooftop Solar Programme, she said, each installation must undergo a comprehensive feasibility study covering rooftop and structural assessment with shadow analysis, solar irradiation and tilt optimization, and site-specific equipment selection.
 
 During the grid implementation process, she said, the NEM tariff should be discussed and finalised with utility providers. 
 
As the full procurement process of the programme is highly technical, she said, there must be a technical committee to facilitate the process.
 
She said different renowned labs in the country should be entrusted with the testing of the equipment before and after installation.
 
She said Bangladesh Bank should introduce a refinance scheme or a dedicated green energy fund targeting rooftop solar on public buildings.
 
"In both CAPEX and OPEX-based rooftop solar projects on government buildings, a sovereign guarantee or bank guarantee mechanism should be institutionalized. A sovereign guarantee, issued by the Ministry of Finance or a central authority, would provide assurance of timely payments and contract enforcement," she added.
 
She said given transparency issues in public procurement and infrastructure, it is critical to introduce third-party monitoring and verification (M&V) mechanisms.
 
She also said a government-backed Guarantee Fund should be introduced to support urgent repairs and critical maintenance of rooftop solar systems, particularly in public institutions under the CAPEX model, where annual maintenance budgets are insufficient or absent.
 
Among others, former director of the Bangladesh Bank Sustainable Finance Division Khondaker Morshed Millat and Managing Director of the Geosolar Bangladesh Limited Eng. Nazneen Akhter spoke on the occasion.