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The Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) has approved the lease of 120 acres of land at the Jamuna Bridge site to Northwest Power Generation Company Limited (NWPGCL) for the construction of a 55-megawatt solar power plant, marking a step towards expanding environment-friendly and sustainable energy generation.
The decision was taken at the 117th board meeting of the BBA, held at the conference room of Setu Bhaban on Thursday afternoon.
The meeting was chaired by Road Transport and Bridges Minister and BBA Board Chairman Shaikh Rabiul Alam.
Board members attended the meeting both in person and virtually through the Zoom platform and shared their views on several proposals.
At the beginning of the meeting, Bridges Division Secretary Mohammad Abdur Rouf and the BBA executive director presented the agenda and reviewed progress in implementing the decisions taken at the previous board meeting.
Following discussions and scrutiny, the board adopted a number of key decisions.
In addition to approving the land lease for the solar power plant, the board decided to revise the existing rehabilitation policy for allocating flats at the Rehabilitation Village to better protect the rights and interests of families affected by the construction of the Dhaka Elevated Expressway.
As part of the government’s green employment initiative, the board also approved the inclusion of solar panel installation in the BBA’s scope of work and directed the preparation of a master plan in this regard.
The meeting also approved the renewal of the agreement for operating BIAM Laboratory School at Diabari in Uttara.
The board further decided to establish a Centre for Bridge Research and Training (CBRT) under the BBA to strengthen professional knowledge, technical expertise and research capacity in the construction, operation and maintenance of large-scale infrastructure.
Additionally, the board approved replacing the term “annual scholarship” with “annual education grant assistance” under the Bangladesh Bridge Authority Officers and Employees Welfare Trust Rules, 2010, to provide greater clarity regarding the nature of the welfare benefit.
In his remarks, Minister Rabiul said the present government was working to develop a sustainable and environment-friendly transport and communication system.
He directed all officials and relevant authorities to work with dedication to ensure the swift, transparent and effective implementation of the decisions taken at the meeting.