Bangladesh’s largest proposed solar power plant, a 442-megawatt facility at Rampal in Bagerhat costing Tk2,502.39 crore, is set to go before the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council for approval on Wednesday.
The Bangladesh Power Development Board project would use 685 acres of long-unused land at Rampal for renewable power generation. It is one of 12 projects due to be placed before the Ecnec meeting, scheduled for 10am at the Bangladesh Secretariat under Prime Minister and Ecnec Chair Tarique Rahman.
Planning Commission sources said Tk2,127 crore of the project cost would come from the Power Development Fund. The rest would be financed from BPDB’s own funds.
BPDB acquired 1,834 acres of land at Rampal in 2012 for a power plant and divided it into Block A and Block B, according to the project proposal.
The Bangladesh-India joint venture Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant has been built on Block A. Block B remains under BPDB, where land development and other preparatory work have already been completed.
BPDB said Bangladesh’s energy sector remains heavily dependent on fossil fuels, which are costly and tied to international markets.
The proposal cites the Paris climate agreement, COP26 decisions, the Sustainable Development Goals, the Integrated Energy and Power Master Plan 2023 and protection of the Sundarbans as factors behind the push to expand renewable power generation.
As part of that shift, the Rampal solar plant has been proposed in place of a coal-based power project.
BPD said Block B covers 918.50 acres. Of this, 76.63 acres are earmarked for a green belt, 32.87 acres for a flood protection embankment and 94 acres are low-lying land.
Around 30 acres on the north-western side are occupied by a lake.
After excluding those areas, a feasibility study identified 685 acres as suitable for the solar plant. The project is planned to be implemented through international open tendering at a competitive price.
Planning Commission documents said electricity demand is rising with economic expansion, industrialisation, growth of export-oriented digital industries, progress in the information and communication technology sector and improvements in living standards.
The Integrated Energy and Power Master Plan 2023 projects peak electricity demand at 29,257MW in 2030, 58,597MW in 2041 and 96,767MW in 2050.
The country’s highest electricity generation so far was 16,794MW as of 23 July 2025.
Although the entire population has access to electricity, expanding generation capacity and ensuring energy security remain major challenges as demand rises.
To reduce reliance on fossil fuels and meet commitments under the Paris climate agreement, the government formulated the Renewable Energy Policy 2025.
The policy targets 20 per cent of total electricity generation from renewable sources by 2030 and 30 per cent by 2040.
Renewables currently account for a limited share of electricity generation, creating the need for more investment and project implementation in the sector.
11 other projects on agenda
The 11 other projects to be placed before Ecnec include a Dhaka South City Corporation scheme to improve road infrastructure and drainage in 18 wards under five new zones.
Projects to develop key infrastructure and rehabilitate damaged roads under Rangpur City Corporation and to construct roads, drains and footpaths in zones 1 to 8 of Gazipur City Corporation are also on the agenda.
Another project would procure four commercial and four supporting vessels for Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation and build two new slipways.
The meeting will also consider procurement of 30 metre-gauge diesel-electric locomotives for Bangladesh Railway and renovation and modernisation of a purchased chancery building in Paris, France.
Other proposals include construction of the Second Karatoa Bridge at the 16th kilometre of the Z-5050 road in Panchagarh, extension of the project period for the Khanti-Risamakri-Madan-Likri road construction project, skills development and entrepreneurship creation for women through cooperatives and rural infrastructure development in Sirajganj, Bogura and Naogaon districts.
