DHAKA, Sept 17, 2025 (BSS) - The Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) and Dhaka Electric Supply Company (DESCO) Limited today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to install, operate, and maintain a 150 kilowatt-peak (kWp) rooftop solar power system at BIDA's headquarters at Agargaon in the city.

The signing ceremony, held at the Investment Building's conference room, was presided over by BIDA Executive Chairman (State Minister) Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun, said a press release. 

DESCO Managing Director Brigadier General Shamim Ahmed ndc, PSC (retd) attended the event as special guest.

On behalf of BIDA, the MoU was signed by Director Md. Maruful Alam, while DESCO's Company Secretary Engineer Mohammad Kamruzzaman signed on behalf of the power distributor.

According to the agreement, DESCO will implement, operate, and maintain the system on a 9,105-square-foot rooftop area. The 20-year project involves an installation cost of around Tk 8.9 million, with an additional Tk 8.7 million earmarked for maintenance and replacement during the project's lifespan.

The solar system is expected to generate about 2.85 million kilowatt-hours of electricity over 20 years, worth approximately Tk 29.9 million. DESCO will consume 90 percent of the generated power, while BIDA will receive the remaining 10 percent. Carbon credits earned will be equally shared between the two entities.

Work on the project is scheduled to begin with a tender call on October 1, 2025, and commercial generation is targeted to start by January 31, 2026. The initiative is aligned with the government's renewable energy targets of generating 20 percent of electricity from renewable sources by 2030 and 30 percent by 2040.

"This project will serve as a model for government institutions, encouraging similar initiatives across the country," Ashik Chowdhury said at the ceremony.

Meanwhile, in July 2025, Bangladesh's interim government launched the National Rooftop Solar Programme, aiming to install solar systems in government offices, educational institutions, and hospitals to generate 3,000 megawatts of electricity by December 2025. The programme is seen as a milestone in the nation's journey toward achieving 30 percent renewable energy by 2040.