DHAKA — Bangladesh will build its first public-private partnership solar power plant on government land in Feni, the country’s economic zones authority said Thursday, signing a memorandum of understanding with the state-run power utility to launch the project.
The Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) and the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) signed the memorandum at the Bidyut Bhaban in the capital. It was signed by Dr. Julia Moin, executive board secretary of BEZA and joint secretary of the government, and Afroza Sultana, secretary of the BPDB.
In a news release Thursday, May 7, BEZA said the large solar plant would be set up on about 412 acres of BEZA-owned land inside the National Special Economic Zone in Sonagazi, Feni. The initiative is being viewed as a landmark step in putting unused government land to use for renewable energy generation.
The project will be implemented under the “Guidelines for Development of Renewable Energy Projects Using Land Owned by Government Agencies under PPP Modality, 2026,” approved by the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources. The government approved the new guidelines on April 7.
The project received in-principle approval for PPP implementation at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on March 6, 2025. On April 2, the power ministry decided to implement the Sonagazi solar plant as a “pilot project” under the new guidelines.
Under the guidelines, the BPDB will act as the “contracting authority” for renewable energy projects on government land under the PPP model, while BEZA will serve as the land-owning agency.
BEZA said the project, once operational, would boost environmentally friendly industrialization and the use of green energy at the National Special Economic Zone. It would also support sustainable development goals, ensure productive use of government land and create new opportunities for private investment in renewable energy, the authority said.
BEZA said a “market sounding” workshop would be held soon to gauge investment interest and partnership opportunities from domestic and foreign investors. The project is also expected to include modern technical features such as a battery storage system.
Senior officials of BEZA, the BPDB and the PPP Authority attended the signing ceremony.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report