42pc capacity leased out

Forty-two percent capacity of Bangabandhu Satellite-1 has been leased out since its launch in May last year as its demand is rising rapidly in Bangladesh.

A good number of local television channels are using the capacity of the country’s first satellite. Akash, a direct-to-home (DTH) service provider, is also taking the service from the satellite. 

“It took some time to move this forward, but now we are getting huge response from the local market,” said Shahjahan Mahmood, chairman of Bangladesh Communication Satellite Company Ltd (BCSCL).

He did not disclose any figure on the earnings so far.

The satellite was launched under a project involving Tk 2,702 crore. According to the project proposal of the first satellite, it will take eight years to recover the cost.

It requires at least three satellites to cover the whole globe and make business viable, Mahmood said.

The government has in principle decided to launch two more satellites and the BCSCL started a consultation process yesterday with the stakeholders about the Bangabandhu Satellite-2.

In its first consultation meeting yesterday at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh, representatives from dozens of government agencies, related business houses, academics, and law-enforcing agencies took part and made recommendations.

Before launching the second satellite, the BCSCL will prepare a roadmap on it. So, several consultation meetings will be organised, Mahmood added.

Telecom Minister Mustafa Jabbar said the launching of the second satellite is part of the election manifesto and the government will try to fulfill the promises as soon as possible.

“We want to use this satellite more efficiently and that’s why we want to fix our requirement first and then take action,” he said.  Recently, the government has decided to move for the second satellite and the project will be rolled out by 2021, officials said.

In the meeting, experts urged the government to formulate laws to secure the space business. Countries such as India and Pakistan have such laws and none can send satellites into orbit without approval.

Bangladesh also needs a space agency to guide the industry, they said. 

The Bangabandhu Satellite-1 does not cover the Middle East, Africa and Europe, prompting industry people to launch the second satellite to bring them under coverage.  They also called for fixing short-, mid-term and long-term targets about the satellite business.

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission has drafted a guideline on the landing rights of broadcasting satellite services as the government looks to monetise the satellite. The guideline has proposed to increase charges and fees that local companies need to pay in order to avail satellite services from the satellites from other countries.

Once the guideline is approved, Bangabandhu Satellite’s business will expand, Mahmood said.