DHAKA, May 12, 2018 (BSS) – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today greeted the
countrymen for successful launching of Bangladesh’s first communication
satellite into space, saying that it added a new milestone to the path of
continued advancement of the country.
“Bangladesh entered a new era as a proud member of the satellite club from
today as the flag of Bangladesh has also been hoisted in the space through
launching of the Bangabandhu Satellite-1,” she said in a televised message
after the launch of the artificial satellite manufactured by the Thales
Alenia Space of France.
The Block-5 of Falcon 9 rocket of SpaceX is carrying the 3.7-tonne
Bangabandhu-1 communication satellite began its journey from the Cape
Canaveral launching pad in Florida of the USA at 2:14 am Bangladesh time
today.
Sheikh Hasina said apart from Bangladesh the satellite could serve the
Asian nations including Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, the
Philippines, Indonesia, Pakistan, Tajakstan and Kazakhstan.
The prime minister said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman dreamt of a dignified Bangladesh before the world community while he
believed that unless communication with the outside world is not properly
maintained it would not be possible to advance the country.
“That’s why he established country’s first satellite ground station at
Betbunia of Rangamati in 1974 just within three and a half years of
independence,” she said adding that the initiative created opportunities for
Bangladesh’s enhanced communication links with outside world through exchange
of information and data.
The premier extended her heartiest thanks to the Post and
Telecommunications Division, BTRC and members of the Bangabandhu Satellite
Project for successfully implementing the project recalling that BTRC under
the supervision of Post and Telecommunications Division undertook the project
to construct and launch Bangabandhu Satellite-1.
Sheikh Hasina also thanked governments and people of France and the USA for
extending support to Bangladesh’s historic project as well as the government
of Russia and its people for providing its orbital slot to Bangladesh on
rent.
The prime minister sought the countrymen’s “doa” so that Bangladesh could
achieve its desired goal through the launching of its first satellite into
orbital slot.
Earlier, immediately after successful launching of the satellite, the prime
minister talked to the Bangladesh delegation led by her ICT Affairs Adviser
Sajeeb Wazed Joy who was present in Florida over phone and congratulated all
on this historic occasion.
During the conversation overnight Sheikh Hasina said the Father of the
Nation set up the country’s first satellite earth station at Betbunia of
Rangamati in 1974 and “Bangbandhu’s initiative got completeness with the
today’s successful launching of the satellite into the space got completeness
of his initiative”.
She vowed to establish Bangladesh as a middle income country by the year
2021 and a developed and prosperous one by 2041 as dreamt by Bangabandhu.
In a subsequent function in the city this morning, the prime minister said
Bangladesh has got a high dignity with the launching of the satellite.
She said the people of the country got independence as they cast vote for
boat, the symbol of Bangladesh Awami League and “we’ve been able to form the
government as the people gave mandate to us and the government has been
implementing massive programmes for the country’s uplift”.
“Due to this work, we’ve been able to take Bangladesh to the space,” the
premier said.
The premier said with the launching of the satellite, Bangladesh will be
benefitted from not only entertainment, also in education, medicare and
gathering information about natural disaster.
“We’ll be able to reach services to the remote areas like hill and islands
and earn foreign currencies by renting satellite,” she said.