ICT Desk

India is supporting Bangladesh in ensuring peaceful uses of outer space by providing technology and knowledge sharing.

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) are the executive agencies to implement the cooperation, according to country-level agreement.

“Space cooperation is already happening. We have an agreement (on space cooperation with Bangladesh). Our (space) agency has closure contact with Bangladesh for future collaboration on space. The discussion is on,” Smita Pant, a senior official at the Bangladesh, Myanmar Division of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, told Daily Sun during a meeting in Delhi recently.

In October 2020 ISRO re-constituted the JWG members from the Indian side and Bangladesh has been requested to identify its members for the JWG through MEA.

ISRO has established 24 Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) in Bangladesh as part of the SAARC-STORM project.

A specific agreement for South Asia Satellite (SAS) orbit frequency coordination was signed between India and Bangladesh in 2017. Satellite reception terminal for South Asia Satellite utilisation was established in Bangladesh and demonstrated. Bangladesh has installed 10 terminals and connected them using the common hub at Delhi initially.

Recently, Bangladesh has started its Satcom network with their hub facility and migrated 10 user terminals, according to sources at MEA.

“With that Bangladesh has established their uplink system for South Asia Satellite, with technical inputs from ISRO,” added the notes.

As discussed in the NSIL – BSCL meeting held on 25-26 August 2022, Bangladesh requested for an additional transponder as the already allotted transponder is being used fully. The additional transponder was allotted in December 2022.

Some 202 Bangladesh officials have benefited from CSSTEAP & IIRS, Dehradun conducted courses on space technology applications and two Bangladesh officials participated in the UNNATI training programme on nanosatellite building offered by ISRO.

North Eastern Space Applications Centre (NESAC) organised a two-week training on capacity building on the earth, observations applications and research focusing on fundamentals, emerging technological tools and services for the BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) nations.

Four candidates from Bangladesh participated from 4-17 January 2020, among others, from BIMSTEC countries.