The government's aim to scale up solar energy has once again met with tepid investor interest as the third round of tenders for grid-tied solar power plants closed with poor participation and several projects failing to draw any bids.
The third package, floated by the Bangladesh Power Development Board (PDB), invited bids for 19 solar power plants with a combined capacity of 1,780 megawatts.
However, by the submission deadline recently, only 29 bids were submitted, despite three deadline extensions and the sale of 69 bid documents.
This subdued response mirrors the outcomes of the first and second tender rounds, where investor interest was similarly lackluster. Between December 2024 and March 2025, the PDB floated four international tender packages aiming to install 5,238MW of grid-connected solar power across 55 sites.
The third package, launched on 27 January, offered projects ranging from 70MW to 100MW at locations across the country.
Industry experts point to restrictive terms in the tender documents as a major reason for the poor turnout. These conditions, they say, make it difficult for potential developers to secure funding from both local and international lenders.
"After 10 months of preparation and much fanfare about solar power, what we see is frustrating," said Sakir Ahmed, former adviser to Green Solar Energy and former CEO of Xindex Energy.
