Tk 29.68b Bangabandhu satellite project approved

The government approved Tuesday the Bangladesh's first satellite "Bangabandhu" launching project at a cost of Tk 29.68 billion to improve the country's telecommunication and broadcasting facilities.
Presided over by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved a total of six projects including the Bangabandhu Satellite project at a total cost of Tk 42.96 billion at its meeting Tuesday in Dhaka.
Emerging from the meeting, planning minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, said the selected bidder will finance the project and launch it by June 2017.
The government would provide Tk 13.15 billion and the bidder will finance the rest Tk 16.52 billion.
The state-owned Bangladesh Telecommunication Regularity Authority (BTRC) will select the bidder through an international tender for launching the satellite which will have 40 transponders.
A US-based company - Space Partnership International - had already prepared the design of the proposed Bangabandhu satellite, officials said.
Mustafa Kamal said the BTRC will set up two ground stations-one at Jaydevpur in Gazipur and another at Betbunia in Rangamati-to operate the satellite.  
The ECNEC meeting also approved procurement of 120 passenger carriages for the Bangladesh Railway at a cost of Tk 9.76 billion where some Tk 7.11 billion will be provided from the Indian US$800 million line of credit.
The meeting also approved setting up of Institute of Livestock Science and Technology Project at a cost of Tk 2.07 billion, pre-paid electricity metering in Khulna town at Tk 424.3 million and the development of the Tamabil land port at a cost of Tk 692.6 million and Nimgazi Social Fisheries project.
ECNEC members, Planning Commission members and high officials were also present at the meeting.
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