Local Government Division issues urgent directive, letters sent to all upazilas

The Local Government Division has directed the installation of solar power systems at all installations, haats and markets under the local government. The directive has asked for solar power installation by January 31.

Letters in this regard were sent from the Local Government Division to the administrators and upazila executive officers of the country's upazila parishads on Thursday, September 24.

The ministry said the government has undertaken extensive initiatives to expand renewable energy to ensure sustainable energy security. As part of this, the Local Government Division said solar power systems must be installed considering the roof area of permanent sheds at every haat and market and the four to five-storey buildings constructed by the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) at various markets. Necessary measures must be taken to supply the surplus electricity to the national grid after meeting its own demand.

Additionally, a directive has been given to install rooftop solar power systems with batteries at the existing official main buildings and subordinate buildings at local, district and upazila levels of departments, agencies and institutions under the Local Government Division.

Earlier, on Wednesday, September 23, State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam said the government has planned to install solar panels on the rooftops of 6,544 local government institutions. The government has allocated Tk 370 crore for this.

The state minister said the target has been set to generate about 300 megawatts of electricity by installing solar panels at these institutions.

The state minister said the number of councils, municipalities, union parishads, executive engineers, LGED offices, WASA, public health and all the haats, markets or growth centres in the country under local government is 6,544. He said, "We are going to generate electricity through solar panels on the rooftops of these institutions."

He said, "Separate letters have been sent with directives. The target has been set to implement the programme by January 27. A total of Tk 370 crore has been released for this work."