DHAKA: Bangladesh Telecommunication Regularity Commission (BTRC) will sign a deal with American consulting firm Space Partnership International (SPI) Thursday for sending the country’s maiden satellite ‘Bangabandhu’ in the space.
Chairman of the BTRC Major General (retd) Zia Ahmed made the disclosure while talking to banglanews Wednesday.
Director General of the BTRC Brigadier General Ahsan Uddin Khan told banglanews that the deal would be signed at its office in the noon.
After signing the agreement, the consultant firm would formulate design, ground station management, market evaluation, satellite marketing and provide training to the local experts as well as all necessary works for launching the satellite within three years.
The project would cost Tk 3,000 crore whereas SPI would provide Tk 90 crore.
The country has to spend 11-million US dollar every year for using satellite as the domestic satellite television channels, telephone, radio are renting satellite facilities from other countries.
If Bangladesh can successfully send the satellite it would bring an opportunity to earn huge foreign currency through renting the unused portion. Neighbor countries like Nepal, Bhutan, and Myanmar may our buyers.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh has applied a slot to International Telecommunication Union (ITU) at 102 degree east in the orbit.
An official of BTRC told banglanews though Bangladesh applied for 102 degree east in the orbit, but 18 countries gave objection against this slot.
Sources said some 33 consulting firms submitted expressions of interest (EoI) when BTRC called application. Seven of them have been selected for participating in the final bidding process.
But, five firms from America, Canada, France and Indonesia took part in the bid. Finally, the American SPI has been selected as consultant firm after evaluating their financial and technical offer.
BTRC experts said the submarine cable network is yet to be available in all upazilas and districts of the country, including haur, baur, hills and islands of Sylhet and Chittagong divisions. But, the satellite is the only way to make the internet available in those areas.
It also could ensure uninterrupted telecommunication inside the country as well as rest of the world and meteorological data for disaster warnings.
BDST: 2107 HRS, MAR 28, 2012
Edited by:
Mohammed Humayun Kabir, Sr Newsroom Editor
M. Mahbub Alam, Asst Output Editor
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