Lamps, water pumps and filtration systems are an increasingly common sight in the camps of Cox’s Bazar with more extensive off-grid home systems having been brought along the refugee trail by some homeowners fleeing Myanmar’s Rakhine state.

Junior power minister Nasrul Hamid, speaking at a signing ceremony for a planned 100 MW project, warned technology would have to develop to require less surface area for solar modules, although he did say Dhaka would fund research into rooftop solar.

The federal government will provide $131 million of soft loans for a $177 million, 100 MW solar park near the Jamuna river in Bangladesh’s Jamalpur district, where a second park of a similar size is being planned by Dhaka and a Chinese partner.

Although the Windforce clean power developer controlled by garment maker Hirdaramani has not been forthcoming in response to pv magazine, it is reportedly considering installing 20-50 MW of solar and/or wind power capacity in the nation.

With the World Bank celebrating the success of a solar home system installation program which has provided electricity to an estimated 20 million people, an NGO has floated a near-$12 million environmental investment which could drive further PV capacity.

The government’s clean power department has signed a co-operation agreement with a major clothing industry trade body in a bid to drive net-metered solar rooftop installation.

A leaked letter apparently sent by a diplomatic official states Beijing will no longer consider coal-related investment in Bangladesh, firing speculation that policy could be applied along all of the vast twin trade routes.

Having fallen far short of its ambition to generate 10% of its power from renewables by last year, Dhaka is preparing to reformulate its national clean power target.

Ib Vogt and its local partner are facing protests from farmers who claim a planned 207-acre PV project site will destroy their livelihoods by occupying fertile fields.

Bangladesh-based Beximco Group has said it will raise nearly US$400 million in Islamic bonds to finance two solar PV power plants totaling 230 MW in the country’s northern districts.