The government is set to procure 119.1 East longitude orbital slot for around Tk219 crore from the Russian firm Intersputnik to launch the country’s first satellite - Bangabandhu Satellite 1.
Post and Telecommunication Division’s proposal to procure the orbital slot from the Russian firm will be placed today at a meeting of the cabinet committee on public purchase presided over by Finance Minister AMA Muhith.
According to officials concerned, Bangladesh does not have any other options, except procuring the available slot from the Russian company.
Annually, a total of $14m goes out of the country as payments from private television channels for the use of foreign satellites, which is definitely having a negative impact on the country’s balance of payment, said an official.
According to the proposal, the government has no option if the country wants to launch its inaugural satellite by 2017, but to buy a slot from Intersputnik. The validity of the proposed deal will remain effective until January 15, 2015.
Sources in the Post and Telecommunication Division said although a cost of $45m had been sought earlier, it has now been proposed at $28m.
In the first week of December, the cabinet committee on economic affairs approved the Post and Telecommunication Division’s proposal of procuring orbital slot facilities from a single source.
On November 25, Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) approved Tk2,967 crore for the Bangabandhu satellite project, of which Tk1,652 crore comes from foreign aid. The remaining amount will be raised through bidder funds.
The proposal says the satellite will minimise the digital divide as it will take broadcast and telecommunication services to the most rural areas and introduce profitable and promising services such as direct service to homes throughout the country.
The government has planned to launch the satellite in the middle of 2017 although the launching was supposed to take place at the end of 2014.
