Bangladesh enters into 'Artemis Accords' with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the United States for partnership in exploration and use of outer space, including the Moon, to advance "national-development goals".
The Artemis Accords are a set of non-binding agreements designed to promote peaceful and cooperative civil exploration of outer space, it was stated in signing the deal Tuesday.
Chargé d'Affaires of the US Embassy in Dhaka Trucey Ann Jacobson and Bangladesh Defence Secretary Md Ashraf Uddin inked the space-cooperation instrument at a ceremony held in a Dhaka hotel on the sidelines of the ongoing investment summit.
Executive Chairman of Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun along with other high officials was present at the deal-signing ceremony.
The deal-making comes when the interim government of Bangladesh decides on enhancing cooperation with the United States through lowering or zero-rating of tariffs on their products and services in overtures aimed at getting Washington to reverse President Trump-imposed high tariff at 37 per cent on Bangladeshi exports.
Through the signing of the accords, Bangladesh aligned itself with global efforts to advance scientific discovery, protect space heritage, and responsibly utilize space resources, contributing to Bangladesh's national development goals.
Speaking on the occasion BIDA chief Chowdhury Ashik said the signing of the Accords opened "a new chapter in space-research collaboration between Bangladesh and the United States". Through this Bangladesh would be able to accelerate its space-research activities, he added.
Ashraf Uddin said the purpose of these Accords are a practical set of non-binding principles, guidelines, and best practices grounded in the treaty on principles governing the activities of states in the exploration and use of outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies (outer space treaty), and other existing instruments such as the registration convention and agreement on the rescue and return of astronauts, to ensure safe, transparent, and sustainable civil space exploration.
"With a view to promoting space science and technology, Bangladesh established SPARRSO in 1980. Since then, Bangladesh follows the international rules and norms on the peaceful use of space," he told the function.
In signing the Artemis Accords, he said, countries have committed to following these principles, the implementation of which is designed to promote safe, sustainable, and transparent activities in space.
As of January this year, 53 countries had signed the accords, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, India, the United Arab Emirates, Australia and several European and Latin- American countries.
By signing the Accords Bangladesh will be a part of prestigious international space alliances, he noted.
He hopes Bangladesh will be greatly benefited in terms of technology transfer, economic cooperation, and scientific collaboration through the accords.
Dhaka expects the tie-up to open the window to cooperate and collaborate between SPARRSO and NASA, and will enhance the current capacity of SPARRSO to accelerate the space mission.
Chief of Protocol and Director-General of the North America Wing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs AFM Zahid-Ul-Islam, Chairman of Bangladesh Space Research and Remote Sensing Organisation (SPARRSO) Md. Rashedul Islam and BIDA Head of Business Development Nahian Rahman Rochi were among others present.
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