Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Monday expressed her firm optimism to launch Bangladesh's first-ever satellite into space by 2017 to bring a revolutionary change in the telecom and information technology sector, reports BSS.
"We have taken necessary measures to launch the country's first satellite "Bangabandhu Satellite" into orbit. The orbital slot to this end has already been purchased. I hope that this satellite would be launched by 2017," she said, adding it would bring an epoch-making change in the telecom and ICT sector.
The Prime Minister said this while addressing the inaugural function of the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day and completion of 150 years of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the city Monday afternoon.
State Minister for ICT Division Zunaid Ahmed Palak and Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Post and Telecommunication and ICT Ministry Imran Ahmed spoke at the function as the special guests.
Secretary of the Post and Telecommunication Division Md Faizur Rahman Chowdhury presided over the function, while a video message of ITU Secretary General Houlin Zhao was broadcast.
Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Chairman Sunil Kanti Bose delivered the welcome address and presented the keynote paper on the theme of the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day---"The Telecommunications and ICTs: Drivers of Innovation".
Earlier, the Prime Minister handed over awards among the winners of the online essay competition, which was arranged on the occasion of the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day and completion of 150 years of the ITU.
Sheikh Hasina also released a commemorative postage stamp on the occasion. Spelling out her government steps for the development of the telecom and ICT sectors, the Prime Minister also hoped that Bangladesh would be connected with the second submarine cable by 2016.
She said her government has increased the submarine cable capacity up to 200 gbps to meet the growing demand of internet. "We have taken initiatives to link the country with the second submarine cable and the work is underway," she said.
"We hope that Bangladesh would be connected with the second submarine cable by December 2016 and through which the country would get about 1300 gbps bandwidth," she said.
The Prime Minister said international communication is being developed through terrestrial cable side by side with the submarine cable.
