The government will not stop from launching the country’s own satellite in 2017 and all complexities towards the goal will be resolved, State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak said.
He said they will try to resolve objections by different countries against Bangladesh’s 102 degree east orbital slot application to ITU, and if unsuccessful, will float international tender to buy slot from an international company or a country.
“We will float international tender for orbital slot and at the same time will consult with ITU for allocating our desired slot through resolving objections raised by different countries,” state minister said at a press conference yesterday.
Bangladesh has applied for slot of 102 degree east. But as many as 20 countries including China, South Korea and Australia have filed objections against slot position.
If Bangladesh can resolve the issue with these countries, it will have its desired slot and if cannot, will have to buy from others.
Palak said the government, however, will launch the satellite named Bangabandhu-1 by 2017 through whatever it is.
The presser was held at the Post and Telecommunications Division yesterday after Bangladesh’s win at International Telecommunication Union (ITU) council election.
Bangladesh retained council membership for a four-year term securing 115 votes in the election held last week in Bushan, Korea.
ITU is the highest body for allocating orbital slot for satellite.
“We will need a couple of orbital slots and try some more slots through ITU,” Palak said.
After filing application on 102 degree east, Bangladesh has also applied for 69 east and 133 east as alternative orbital slots.
Earlier, Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (BTRC), the main stakeholder for launching the satellite, decided to acquire the 119.1 east orbital slot from Russian company Sputnik for $28m.
But the move was stopped after finance ministry’s objection.
The Bangabandhu satellite project deadline was already extended twice: from June 2015 to June 2016, and then to June 2017.
The Executive Committee of National Economic Council (Ecnec) approved Tk3,253 crore in 2012 for the project but later revised down to Tk2,968 crore.
ITU cell will be established
Zunaid Ahmed Palak said they will go for establishing a cell to communicate with the ITU for betterment of the ICT industry of Bangladesh.
Palak described Bangladesh’s ITU election win as a “biggest victory” towards building digital Bangladesh. He said international community also accepted the country’s vision of a digital nation.
“We hope this victory will attract more investment in hi-tech park, software industry and other related fields.”
Member of the parliamentary standing committee on telecommunication Shawkat Hasanur Rahman Rimon and telecommunications secretary M Foyzur Rahman, among others, also attended the presser.
