Saarc satellite move puts Bangladesh in a dilemma

[Loafer]

India's move to launch a “Saarc satellite” has put Bangladesh in a dilemma, as the Indian initiative may reduce business opportunities of Bangabandhu-1 satellite, now in the making.

Officials of the telecom ministry and the telecom regulator said they are not against the idea of the Saarc satellite, but they are worried as the satellites will provide similar services in the same geographic locations.

India sent a letter to the foreign ministry in the middle of May, showing its interest to sign a memorandum of understanding with Bangladesh to get the country's support for the Saarc satellite.

The letter was finally sent to Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission to make a final decision through consultation with experts.

“We support the Saarc satellite, but we also have to ensure that our own satellite is a success,” Tarana Halim, state minister for telecom, told The Daily Star.

Tarana said the government has already discussed the issue with analysts. The telecom ministry will raise the matter in inter-ministerial meetings after getting a technical report from the experts, she said.

Indian High Commissioner Harsh Vardhan Shringla met BTRC Chairman Shahjahan Mahmood last week and discussed issues related to the satellite.

“We need technical discussion to make a final decision,” Mahmood said after the meeting.

The two satellites will be in different orbital slots, but they have the same service area, which will certainly create problems for Bangladesh, telecom ministry officials said.

India also mentioned in the letter that Pakistan has showed no interest in the Saarc satellite, they said.

Afghanistan also declined to participate in the India-led initiative, while the other Saarc nations -- Sri Lanka, Bhutan, the Maldives and Nepal -- are joining the bid.

At the Saarc summit in Kathmandu in 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the member countries to join the Saarc communication satellite initiative.

India sat with different member countries in several meetings since then to gain support for the satellite, the telecom ministry officials said.

BTRC officials said the Indian authority has already applied to the International Telecommunication Union for an orbital slot, and it will be easy for the country to get the desired slot if other Saarc nations support India.

The name should not be Saarc satellite if all nations do not join the project, the officials said.

The capacity of Bangabandhu-1 satellite will be greater than that of the Saarc satellite, they said.

The Bangladeshi satellite will be launched by December 2017 at a cost of Tk 2,967 crore. French company Thales Alenia Space has been awarded the work.

India had a plan to launch the satellite by this yearend but it has later been postponed to 2017.

The Bangladesh government also formed a company named Bangabandhu Communications Satellite Bangladesh Ltd, which also has plans to launch two other satellites -- Bangabandhu-2 and Bangabandhu-3.

A team led by BTRC chairman is now visiting France to meet officials of Thales Alenia to talk about issues related to the satellite project.

http://www.thedailystar.net/business/saarc-satellite-move-puts-bangladesh-dilemma-1232983

We should make Bangladesh sign a Non-Competition agreement for the life of period of satellite such that we do not face any revenue loss on account of providing free services.

 

[TopCat]

Lets make it a India satellite. Problem solved.

 

[Shabi1]

Lets make it a India satellite. Problem solved.

It's already a India Satellite

 

[dray]

Tk 2967 crore for one satellite is nothing but blatant extortion, and then we are about to offer the same services to the same clientele for free!!

 

[Avisheik]

Tk 2967 crore for one satellite is nothing but blatant extortion, and then we are about to offer the same services to the same clientele for free!!

Well this decision isnt really a business decision, its more of an geopolitical and nationalistic decision. It will allow us to gain experience in operating a satellite. Furthermore, i really doubt it is free. It will definitely has some strings attached to it.

 

[dray]

Well this decision isnt really a business decision, its more of an geopolitical and nationalistic decision. It will allow us to gain experience in operating a satellite. Furthermore, i really doubt it is free. It will definitely has some strings attached to it.

It's FREE FREE FREE!!!!

 

[Avisheik]

It's FREE FREE FREE!!!!

*Terms and Conditions apply

 

[Species]

The Bangladesh government also formed a company named Bangabandhu Communications Satellite Bangladesh Ltd, which also has plans to launch two other satellites -- Bangabandhu-2 and Bangabandhu-3.

Two more satellites, it would be great if we have a space program in the pipeline.

 

[Rajaraja Chola]

I think if BD wants to join in future it can. Even with all its capacity India needs a lots of communication satellites. Till BD takes an decision, India can use it.

 

[damiendehorn]

From saarc satellite - to - BBhNSI satellite - to - BhNSI satellite. We don't need this (saarc) satellite, it provides us with very little advantage in the long run. We have to build our own capacity at our own pace.

 

[damiendehorn]

I think if BD wants to join in future it can. Even with all its capacity India needs a lots of communication satellites. Till BD takes an decision, India can use it.

Unlikely considering our long term goal, Bangabandhu 1 in 2017 to be followed by Bangabandhu 2 and then Bangabandhu 3....Plus Bangabandhu 1 will have a higher capicity then the proposed saarc satellite. Bangabandhu 1 won't reach max capcity till 2025-2030.

The saarc satellite is just a indian owned / built / opperated satellite, that can be used by saarc members.

no one is forcing bd, just take it or leave it. if friendly countries like Afghanistan, Nepal or Bhutan, SL gets benefited this satellite will solve its purpose.

Sorry accordding to the article Afghanistan has also left it, as has bangladesh (thats the point of the article to say thanks but no thanks we are working with the french to manage our own), so far its a BhNSI satellite. Not saarc, sorry.

 

[Nilgiri]

Well this decision isnt really a business decision, its more of an geopolitical and nationalistic decision. It will allow us to gain experience in operating a satellite. Furthermore, i really doubt it is free. It will definitely has some strings attached to it.

If bangabandhu satellite is a geo bird it will need next to no operations crew. Thats only really for LEO birds and those with special payloads more than a set of antennae and transponders.

 

[BDforever]

I think if BD wants to join in future it can. Even with all its capacity India needs a lots of communication satellites. Till BD takes an decision, India can use it.

If bangabandhu satellite is a geo bird it will need next to no operations crew. Thats only really for LEO birds and those with special payloads more than a set of antennae and transponders.

1. there will be 2 ground stations to operate, one in Rangamati and another one in Gazipur.
2. it will also serve military for GPS guidance alone with telecommunication and weather forecasting, so it has bigger role than SAARC satellite.

 

[Nilgiri]

1. there will be 2 ground stations to operate, one in Rangamati and another one in Gazipur.
2. it will also serve military for GPS guidance alone with telecommunication and weather forecasting, so it has bigger role than SAARC satellite.

Ground stations have little to do with actual coms satellite operation since a geo bird is fixed in the sky, the ground antenna does not even need to track it. Minimal satellite orbit maintenance. It will be some chaps eating rosagollas and chai all day and another shift for night keeping an eye on the electronics arrays + security provision+cleaning etc. Maybe 1 or 2 techs at most....and I wonder if they will even be Bangladeshi.

GPS guidance is...??? Do you mean GPS augmentation? If so provide the link that Bangladesh approached the US Air Force and US DoD for L-Band frequency codes (for referencing). Any US contractor involved like Raytheon was for India's GAGAN? Or Bangladesh has developed this all by itself? Did Bangladesh commission the relevant ionospheric study for its upper atmosphere so it can factor in the correct error correction algorithms? Or is India providing you this regional data, i.e piggy backing on the GAGAN and IRNSS atmospheric studies?

Something seems off about "GPS guidance" revolving around a standard comms satellite for a country that has never operated a satellite before. Are you getting this from another defence board?

As for the weather forecasting, whats the sensor suite that Bangabandhu-1 is carrying? As far I can see I don't see any info on this anywhere....neither do I see anything in the concept art pictures.

 

[damiendehorn]

1. there will be 2 ground stations to operate, one in Rangamati and another one in Gazipur.
2. it will also serve military for GPS guidance alone with telecommunication and weather forecasting, so it has bigger role than SAARC satellite.

The Bangabandhu 1 is purely a communication satellite, positioned at GEO. It will have some transponders allocated for military com usage but no GPS role (its position is GEO not LEO) its a BTRC project not a MOD project. The satellite has 40 transponders, 16 C and 24 Ku and a power out put of 8.5 Kw....based on the C1 or B2 version of the Spacebus 4000.

Whats the logic for Bangladesh to join a project that has very little benefit, and actively undemines its own project? Saarc sat only serves indian strategic and geopolitcal needs, and cements indian control over the nations using it....always beter to have our own satellite.