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Bangladesh is preparing to build its largest-ever solar power plant on a site in Bagerhat’s Rampal that was originally earmarked for a coal-fired project, marking a significant shift towards renewable energy as the government seeks to reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels and strengthen long-term energy security.
The Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) has proposed building a 442MW (peak DC) grid-connected solar photovoltaic power plant at Block-B in Rampal, Bagerhat, at an estimated cost of Tk2,502.4 crore, a senior Planning Commission official told the Daily Sun.
Of the total cost, Tk2,127 crore will be financed through the Power Development Fund, while the remaining Tk375.94 crore will come from BPDB’s own resources. The proposal is scheduled to be reviewed by the Planning Commission’s Project Evaluation Committee (PEC) on 3 August, a key step before final approval.
If approved, the project is expected to be completed by December 2029.
According to the Development Project Proposal (DPP), the solar plant will be built on 685 acres of already acquired land within BPDB’s 918.5-acre Block-B site at Rampal, where land development and boundary protection have already been completed.
The adjacent Block-A houses the 1,320MW Bangladesh-India Friendship coal-fired power plant. The project is intended to diversify Bangladesh’s energy mix, cut reliance on imported gas, oil and coal, advance the country’s climate commitments and help protect the environmentally sensitive Sundarbans region.
The plant will feed electricity into the national grid through a new 230kV transmission system linked to the neighbouring Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Company Limited (BIFPCL) substation.
It will include solar panels, inverter stations, substations, power evacuation facilities and other supporting infrastructure.
Planning Commission officials said the project is aligned with the government’s target of increasing renewable energy’s share of the national energy mix to 20% by 2030.
It also supports Bangladesh’s commitments under the Paris Agreement, the Sustainable Development Goals and the Integrated Energy and Power Master Plan (IEPMP) 2023.
They said the project would expand renewable electricity generation, reduce carbon emissions and improve the country’s long-term energy security by lowering dependence on imported fossil fuels.
Nur Ahmed, Additional Secretary (Planning Wing) at the Power Division, described the initiative as a major milestone in Bangladesh’s clean energy transition.
“The project will make productive use of already developed land, reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels and strengthen the country’s long-term energy security. Once implemented, it will add clean electricity to the national grid, help lower carbon emissions and support Bangladesh’s fuel diversification strategy while contributing to a more sustainable and resilient power system,” he said.
He added, “It will also serve as a model for future utility-scale solar investments by demonstrating that large renewable energy projects can be implemented successfully in the public sector. We believe this initiative will encourage greater private sector participation in renewable energy and accelerate Bangladesh’s transition towards a cleaner and more diversified energy mix.”
Shafiqul Alam, lead energy analyst at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), said the project represents a significant change in Bangladesh’s energy policy, as land once designated for a coal-fired plant is now being repurposed for renewable energy.
He said one of the project’s biggest advantages is that the land has already been developed, eliminating the need for fresh acquisition, which often delays major infrastructure schemes.
According to him, the project is expected to become the country’s largest solar power plant while helping BPDB gain valuable experience in developing large-scale solar facilities. As it will be implemented on BPDB-owned land, the overall generation cost is also expected to remain lower than that of many comparable projects.
“Most importantly, the project will contribute to Bangladesh’s long-term energy security by reducing its reliance on imported fossil fuels. It is a positive step towards building a cleaner, more sustainable and more resilient power sector,” he added.
The Rampal project comes as Bangladesh finalises its National Renewable Energy Development Strategy (2026-2030), which aims to add about 10,450MW of renewable energy capacity by 2030 and meet 20% of the country’s annual electricity demand from clean sources, with private investment expected to drive much of the expansion through rooftop solar, merchant power projects, public-private partnerships and utility-scale solar parks.