Dhaka, May 8 -- The government has prioritised renewable energy like solar and wind power since assuming office, Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmood said Thursday.

The ministry has been acting accordingly in line with instructions from Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, he said.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the Power, Energy and Infrastructure Expo at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Dhaka, the minister said the country remains significantly behind its regional neighbours in renewable energy development, while pledging sweeping policy support to accelerate the growth of solar power.

India and Pakistan have already expanded their use of solar and wind energy to reduce dependence on f...