Bangabandhu Satellite 1 is the new milestone of Bangladesh's advancement: HPM Sheikh Hasina

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has 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 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 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 "Bangabandhu's initiative got completeness with the today's successful launching of the satellite into the space".

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.

Photo: SpaceX