The much-anticipated launch of Bangladesh’s first ever satellite, Bangabandhu-1, ushers in a new era in Bangladesh’s development.
The satellite is all set to be released into orbit on the Block 5 Falcon 9 rocket, the most advanced rocket developed by visionary entrepreneur Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
An event such as this is unprecedented in Bangladesh’s history, and truly speaks to the advancements our nation has made since its birth 47 years ago.
While the concept of Digital Bangladesh has been realized through the progress we have been made in the ICT sector, creating IT parks and exporting software to the rest of the globe, the launch of Bangabandhu-1 takes our presence out into space.
The benefits of the satellite are not merely superficial. Not only does it highlight Bangladesh’s prominence on the global stage, it will also have massive benefits for our country in the long run.
As it stands, Bangladesh spends $14 million annually to rent satellite connectivity from foreign service providers -- the satellite, once it becomes functional in the next few months, will afford our economy much-needed breathing space.
Additionally, it will serve as an important source of income for Bangladesh, as we too will now be able to rent satellite services out to other countries. It will also open up a whole new world of possibilities, allowing us to collect various streams of data for research purposes and improving internet services, undeniable factors towards continuous progress.
And, as Bangladesh remains one of the nations most susceptible to climate change, a satellite would improve emergency response times as it would be able to provide uninterrupted telecommunications services.
Bangabandhu-1 makes a strong statement for us as a nation. We hope this is just the first of many space age achievements to come.
