Dhaka: The government is working to expand the use of solar power in off-grid areas, said State Minister for Power and Energy Nasrul Hamid on Monday.

‘Especially, we want to ensure electricity supply to country’s remote and backward areas,’ UNB quoted the minister as saying while addressing an agreement signing ceremony at Bidyut Bhaban in Dhaka.

A consortium of two South Korean and a local firm inked the deal with state-run Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) to implement a 32 MW grid-tied solar power project on build, own and operate (BOO) basis at Dharmapasha of Sunamganj.

The South Korean firms—Edisun Solitec Co Ltd and Power Point Co Ltd - and local firm - Haor Bangla Korea Green Energy Ltd will build the plant within 18 months.

The BPDB will purchase electricity from the consortium at Tk 13.60 per unit (1 kilowatt-hour), or US$0.17 US cents per unit, for 20 years.

Nasrul Hamid said electricity access in the southern areas including Hatia, Golachipa, Patuakhali is only 30 percent against the overall access to electricity of 74 percent.

The Power Division secretary said the country has a target to generate around 2,000 MW of electricity from solar power by 2020.

Till the date, the government has awarded a number of solar power projects having the total generation capacity of around 2,082 MW, he said.

The proposed solar power project would improve the lifestyle of Haor people, he hoped.

BPDB chairman Shamsul Hassan Miah and chairman of Haor Bangla Korea Green Energy Ltd Mouazzem Hossain Ratan, MP, also spoke on the occasion.