by William Gomes

The project is estimated to cost around US$ 200 million. Homemade, the satellite will be relying also on foreign expertise from China, Japan, United States and Germany. The government plans to strengthen the country’s telecom sector and improve internet access as part of its ‘Digital Bangladesh’ plan.

Dhaka (AsiaNews) – Bangladesh is set to launch shortly its first communication satellite, Post and Telecommunications Minister Raziuddin Ahmed Raju announced. Homemade, the project is expected to cost US$ 150-200 million as part of the government’s “Digital Bangladesh” plan.

The minister told AsiaNews that the goal is to put in space a “made in Bangladesh” satellite that will enhance telecom services. The government has discussed the issue, especially the technical aspects with a number of foreign countries including the United States, Japan, China and Germany. Its priority is to strengthen cooperation with some nations that already have extensive experience in the satellite technology field.

The satellite will improve television broadcasting, meteorological data collection, natural resources mapping as well as weather forecasting. It will also be used to control mass communication data traffic.

The government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed has already taken “significant steps” in terms of technology and in the telecom field, including free telephone connections in all districts except the capital Dhaka. The goal is to set up a broad nation-wide network by 2012.

Internet access will improve, the minister said, and “become cheaper” and “faster”. Within three months all of the country’s upazilas (sub-districts) will be connected, including remote areas.

“With the satellite, the government will introduce a new era in the field of telecommunications in Bangladesh,” the minister said.

Bangladesh has a population of 143 million people and is 140th on the human development index scale.

Figures for 2007 indicate that only 0.32 per cent of Bangladeshis have access to the internet whilst illiteracy is around 59 per cent. The annual per capita income stands at US$ 470.

• bangladesh
• digital
• technology
• satellite
• space
• poverty
• economic
• telecommunications