BIDA, DESCO sign MoU for rooftop solar project

BIDA and Dhaka Electric Supply Company (DESCO) Limited signed an MoU today to install, operate, and maintain a 150-kilowatt peak rooftop solar power system at BIDA headquarters in Agargaon.

The signing ceremony took place at the Investment Building's conference room, led by BIDA Executive Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun. Brig Gen (retd) Shamim Ahmed attended as a special guest. BIDA Director Md Maruful Alam and DESCO Company Secretary Engineer Mohammad Kamruzzaman signed the MoU.

DESCO will install, operate, and maintain the system on a 9,105-square-foot rooftop. The 20-year project has an installation cost of approximately Tk 8.9 million, with Tk 8.7 million allocated for ongoing maintenance and replacement.

Over the next 20 years, the solar system is expected to generate approximately 2.85 million kilowatt-hours of electricity, valued at roughly Tk 29.9 million. DESCO will consume 90% of the generated power, while BIDA will receive the remaining 10%. The two organisations will equally share any carbon credits earned.

Work will commence with a tender call on 1 October 2025. Commercial generation is targeted for 31 January 2026. The project supports the government's renewable energy targets, which aim to achieve 20% of electricity from renewable sources by 2030 and 30% by 2040.

BIDA Executive Chairman Ashik Chowdhury emphasized that the project demonstrates how government institutions can champion renewable energy, serving as a blueprint for similar initiatives nationwide.

In July 2025, Bangladesh's interim government launched the National Rooftop Solar Programme. The initiative seeks to install solar systems in government offices, educational institutions, and hospitals, with the goal of generating 3,000 megawatts of electricity by December 2025. This broader programme sets the policy context for the BIDA-DESCO project and is regarded as a milestone in achieving the country's renewable energy goals.