Solar streetlights worth millions of taka become defunct in 3 and half yrs

Some 150 solar-powered streetlights were installed across 12 wards of the municipality to light up the streets of Cox's Bazar town three and a half years ago.

However, 32 of those solar panels had stopped working within just a year. Some 140 of the panels are now non-functional due to lack of maintenance and oversight. This has recently been observed during on-site visits.

Despite being installed at various alley corners, near mosques, temples, cemeteries, cremation grounds, and other religious institutions at a cost of nearly Tk 19 million from the Climate Fund, these solar panels are currently serving no purpose.

The municipal authorities say they are unable to repair the panels due to lack of allocated funds.

Syedul Haque Azad, administrative officer of Cox's Bazar Municipality, told Prothom Alo that the project was implemented by Dhaka-based contractor Export Renewable Energy and Engineering Ltd., with funding from the Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund (BCCTF).

The installation of the panels was completed in February 2022. The contractor maintained the panels for one year after installation. However, since then, the panels have been damaged by cyclones, nor'westers, strong winds, and heavy rain.

Municipal chief executive officer Mehedi Morshed told Prothom Alo that most of the non-functional panels now have torn wiring, and their bulbs are also damaged. The municipality currently lacks the funds needed for repairs. He added that the panels will be fixed if funding becomes available.

One of the solar panels was installed in front of the gate of Samitipara Jame Mosque in Ward No. 1. A year ago, the bulb was already found broken—and as of a site visit on 20 August, the condition remained unchanged. Even after two and a half years, the panel hasn’t been made operational again.

Local businessman Kamrul Islam said the panel was installed to help worshippers access the mosque safely at night. It worked for six months, but a cyclone damaged the bulb. A few months ago, the wiring also got torn.

Not far from there, another solar panel stands beside a wooden bridge in Samitipara. It has been non-functional for a year and a half. Local fisherman Sabbir Ahmed said that women and children struggle to cross the wooden bridge in the dark and often feel unsafe.

In Ward No. 1 of Cox’s Bazar Municipality, solar panels were installed in Madhyam Kutubdia Para, Basinyapara, and Fadnardail Para—one in each area.

Currently, none of them are functional. According to municipal data, about 70,000 working-class people live across 18 neighborhoods in Ward No. 1, and 90 per cent of them are climate refugees. As the solar panels in the area have remained out of order for the past one and a half years, the hardship faced by these residents continues to worsen.

Former councilor of Ward No. 1, Akhtar Kamal, said that eight solar panels were originally installed in the ward. Within a year, four of them stopped working. Eventually, the rest also became non-functional. However, due to a lack of funding, none of the panels have been repaired.

In addition, 142 more solar panels were installed in other parts of the town—including Pahartali, Anderson Road, Rumaliarchhara, Taraboniarchhara, and other municipal wards. Currently, 140 of these are non-functional. Dust accumulation and lack of cleaning have caused further deterioration of the panels.

In Ward No. 8, eight solar panels were allocated for areas such as Ghonapara, Boiddaghona, and Goldighir Par. However, during a recent visit it was found that no panels were visible. When asked about this, former Ward No. 8 councilor Raj Bihari Das explained that 90 per cent of residents in his ward follow the Sanatan (Hindu) religion.

To meet their needs, the panels were installed instead at the Mahashmashan (cremation ground) at Kasturaghat by the Bankkhali River in Ward No. 3. The cremation ground had been illuminated after the panels were installed, but now, all but two of the lights have stopped working.

Assistant sub-engineer of the Cox’s Bazar Municipality, Rumel Barua, said that according to lists provided by the ward councilors, the panels—with a capacity of 165 watts and 60-watt bulbs—were installed at mosques, temples, schools, cemeteries, and cremation grounds.

Each panel installation costs Tk 117,000. However, storms, rain, and dust have damaged many of the panels over time. Some have been broken; others have tilted or collapsed. Due to lack of funds, repairs are not currently possible.