French company Thales Alenia Space has expressed their willingness to build the country’s second satellite Bangabandhu-2, Telecom Minister Mustafa Jabbar said today.

Besides, the French government has also expressed its interest in funding in Bangladesh’s space technology, the telecom minister said while addressing a programme at Janata Towers Software Technology Park in Dhaka this evening.

In a post-budget discussion with stakeholders organised by Bangladesh ICT Journalist Forum, Jabbar said the French ambassador in Dhaka proposed the government for the second satellite.

The representatives of the Thales Alenia Space also attended the meeting.

Country’s first communication satellite "Bangabandhu-1" was launched in the space on May 11, which also designed and built by the Thales.

Last week, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also revealed that the government has already started work to launch the country's second satellite Bangabandhu-2, so that it could operate before the 15-year expiry time of the 'Bangabandhu-1'.

It takes 5 to 6 years to prepare a satellite and that's why the government has already started work to build Bangabandhu-2, Jabbar said.