Border, sea monitoring, forex earning major goals

The Bangabandhu Satellite-2 will collect weather and agriculture information, monitor border regions and help carry out research, functions entirely different from Bangladesh’s first satellite, Bangabandhu-1.

The low-earth observatory and multipurpose satellite will also open up paths for earning foreign currencies by providing services to Middle-East and African countries.

Paris-based consultant PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) was appointed to assess what satellite is necessary for Bangladesh. It suggested an earth observatory one. Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Minister Mustafa Jabbar said Russia would build it at an approximate cost of around Tk 3,000 crore.

Sources said the satellite’s life span would be 18 years, around three years more than Bangabandhu Satellite-1. Satellites of low-earth orbit stay 1,600-2,000 kilometres above the earth, so it won’t be necessary to rent an orbital slot. Low-Earth orbit is a commonly used orbit since satellites can follow several orbital tracks around the planet. It is also the orbit used for the International Space Station.

Bangabandhu Satellite-2 will monitor vast sea and bordering areas, weather, flood situation and crop condition. Besides, it will be used to gather information on undersea resources.

An official of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) said that Bangladesh has vast areas in the sea but lacks monitoring tools. This type of satellite will help monitor the whole site and prevent trafficking and different criminal activities in bordering areas. It can also monitor the flood situation and condition of crops which will help prevent losses and take precautionary steps.

Having decided to launch Bangabandhu Satellite-2 during this tenure, the government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Russia on February 3.

“People are raising questions without understanding the whole thing,” said Jabbar.

Bangabandhu Satellite-1, launched in May 2018, is a geostationary communication satellite used only for communication. It’s being used by the country’s private satellite channels and for some government works. “We could have provided services to countries that don’t have satellites but the coronavirus pandemic and a lack of marketing didn’t allow it,” he said.

“We won’t need to buy information once the second satellite is in operation. It’ll allow us to collect our own information and our national information won’t go to other’s hands,” he added.

The Middle East and Africa will be under the purview of satellite-2, which will create earning opportunities by selling information since not every country owns satellites, Jabbar noted.

Stakeholders said Russia has a successful history in space research, satellite manufacturing and launching. Having Russia build the satellite will save time and money.

Bangladesh’s first satellite was made in France but it was transported to the Kennedy Space Center for launch.

“Bangladesh had no alternative when France made the first satellite. But we came to know that Russia was doing well in this sector and so they would build our second satellite. Commercial loans won’t be required if Russia comes forth to build the satellite,” Jabbar said.

Russian state-owned company has forwarded a proposal which will lower the cost. “We expect to get various facilities since it’ll be built under government-to-government agreement,” he said.

The first satellite cost Tk 3,000 crore. “This time, we hope to get four satellites at the same cost,” the minister said, adding that works are on to assess the cost.

Hopefully, everything will be okayed by this year before the country finally gets the Bangabandhu Satellite-2 next year.

“ The satellite will be a huge game changer for our country. It will meet our diversified needs, and help earn foreign currency from its varied services,” Jabbar told The Business Post further.

Meanwhile, US sanctions prevent Russia from importing a special chip needed to build and launch satellites. Referring to the matter, the minister said, “There won’t be any problem. The West runs propaganda if anything goes against its interest. it is also part of that (propaganda).”