Solar power has appeared blessings for many char (a tract of land surrounded by the waters of an ocean, sea, lake, or stream) people as it turns the local people’s dream into reality by bringing changes to their living and livelihood conditions.

People living in many hard-to-reach villages on the banks of Padma River in Paba, Godagari and Bagha Upazilas in Rajshahi and Sadar and Shibgonj Upazilas in Chapainawabganj districts started to dream by using solar power.

Abu Kalam, a solar power user in Char Mazar Diar of Paba Upazila, said he could not even think about electricity a decade ago. But now it has become a reality as the villagers can avail it. Housewives Monwara Begum of village Char Nowshera and Anjuara Khaatun of Char Hanumantanagar said they are getting uninterrupted supply of power using solar technology. AVA Mini Grid Project introduced 594 solar panels with financial initiative of Infrastructure Development Company Limited (IDCOL) providing power supply to six villages. Engineer Millat Hossain, Plant Manager of the project, said they had started the solar panel and supply line installation works with an estimated cost of around Taka 10 crore on November 6, 2015.