Bangladesh proposes import duty, VAT exemptions for solar products

Bangladesh's government has proposed exempting import duties and value-added tax (VAT) on renewable energy components under its draft Renewable Energy Policy 2025, now open for public consultation. If approved, the provisions will take effect upon publication in the official gazette.

Bangladesh's government has opened a public consultation on a draft of its Renewable Energy Policy 2025. It proposes exempting renewable energy components and raw materials from import duties and VAT.

It said an unspecified accredited laboratory would review the imported goods. The draft also grants the same benefits to foreign investors in the renewable energy sector as domestic investors.

If approved, the provisions will take effect upon publication in the official gazette. They would be periodically extended based on impact assessments.

The proposed policy also exempts stamp duty for renewable energy investors and introduces an incentive mechanism for carbon trading. The document stated that revenue from carbon trading could be exempt from income tax and government duties.

“We have brought huge changes and covered almost all form of renewable energy in the new policy aiming to promote clean energy and reduce dependence on fossil fuel,” a senior official from the Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority (SREDA) told pv magazine.

The new policy would apply to renewable energy for captive use, public utility sales, or third-party transactions, including the renewable energy certificate mechanism.

It would also cover all renewable resources, including solar, onshore and offshore wind, geothermal, biomass, biogas, green biofuels, waste-to-energy, hydro, ocean and tidal waves, green hydrogen, and hybrid systems.

The draft said the proposed policy includes energy storage systems and allows for integrating existing or emerging technologies developed during its implementation.