Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood today said that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has been using solar power instead of grid electricity.
"The prime minister is not taking electricity from the national grid, as he is using solar power," he told journalists while addressing a press conference at Bidyut Bhaban here.
The minister said, "We want the people to follow the prime minister's initiatives and install solar panels."
The press conference was held on the occasion of the first ever "Bangladesh Solar Expo 2026," jointly organised by the Power Division, Power, Energy and Mineral Resources and Infrastructure Development Company Limited (IDCOL).
The two-day expo will kick off on November 3 and 4, at Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center (BCFCC) in the city's Agargaon, under the theme, "Use Every Inch of Rooftop, Increase Income from Solar Power."
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is expected to inaugurate the event.
The minister said the expo aims to encourage public participation in solar energy and accelerate the country's transition towards green energy.
"We want to reduce people's suffering during the coming summer through greater use of solar power," he said.
Replying to a question, Iqbal said many major countries were struggling to ensure energy supplies in the aftermath of the war.
He said the government was working to make electricity prices more affordable while maintaining a balance between supply and demand.
The minister alleged that the previous government had established power plants without ensuring adequate fuel supplies and had not drilled a single gas well.
Criticising the previous administration's development approach, he said that development rhetoric had been used to restrict democracy.
State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Aninda Islam Amit said the government is working to reduce the electricity shortage by 2030 and minimise public suffering during the summer.
Power Division Secretary Mirana Mahrukh said the government is considering battery backup facilities to store surplus electricity.
"The feasibility of storing electricity generated by coal- and gas-fired power plants, including the Sonagazi project, is also being examined," she said.
The secretary said solar power generation costs could be around Tk 3-4 per unit without battery storage, while it would be below Tk 8 per unit with four to six hours of battery backups, adding, "But the government has announced plans to purchase solar power from individuals at Tk 10.50 per unit through net metering."
Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) Chairman Engineer Md Rezaul Karim said an additional 3,000-4,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity could be added by February next year.
Responding to a question, he said the cause of a recent power disruption had been identified, attributing the incident to trees growing near the power grid rather than an imbalance in the load.
Among others, senior officials of various departments and agencies attended the press conference.