DHAKA: Bangladesh’s caretaker leader has ordered all government institutions including ministry buildings and schools to install solar panels to ease chronic power problems in a country regularly hit by deadly heatwaves.
The South Asian nation of 170 million people has set itself a target of generating 20 percent of its power from renewable energy by 2030 — a four-fold increase — and rising to 30 percent by 2040, the government said in a statement.
“Bangladesh is lagging far behind its neighbouring countries”, the statement issued by the office of interim leader Muhammad Yunus read.
“Only 5.6 percent of our total requirement is currently met from renewable sources,” it added, noting that in neighbouring India, it is 24 percent and in Sri Lanka, nearly 40 percent.
The government’s rooftop solar programme will see all government offices, schools, colleges and hospitals installed with panels immediately, the statement issued late Thursday said.
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