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The government has decided to award licences for operating private satellites after launching a state-owned satellite in 2018.
The Bangladesh Teleco-mmunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) approved the guidelines in this regard this week, allowing the private sector into the market.
"According to the new guidelines, private companies can get licences for the first time to operate satellites," Md Nurunnabi, BTRC Director (Licensing), told The Financial Express.
With the launch of Bangabandhu Satellite-1 into space, Bangladesh has become the 57th country in the world to enter the elite club of satellites. It cost Tk 29.02 billion.
The government is also going to launch Bangabandhu Satellite-2 by 2023 under G2G (government to government) arrangement with Russia, although around two-thirds of the capacity of Bangabandhu Satellite-1 is still being unutilised.
According to the new guidelines, satellite operation will be more customer-oriented and will pave the way for the operators to come up with innovative and emerging initiatives that will help build Digital Bangladesh.
The aspirant licensee will have to pay a licence acquisition fee amounting to Tk 250 million excluding VAT for a licence with a term for 15 years.
The licensee will, for the second and subsequent years of operation, have to pay annual licence fees amounting to Tk 50 million and applicable VAT in advance on each anniversary of the date of the issuance of the licence, it said.
Initially, the licensee will operate and lease its own transponder capacity. To provide services through a rented transponder, prior permission from the BTRC will be required.
"If a licensee takes initiative to launch further satellite(s), it will take written prior approval from the Commission for providing services through new satellite(s)."
The licensee is authorised to facilitate services like direct to home (DTH), cable TV, backhaul connectivity and emergency telecommunication, satellite internet for broadband services, digital services, VSAT/VSAT hub services, and others, as approved by the BTRC.
The guidelines noted that as a consequence of effective regulatory measures, the telecom sector of Bangladesh is on the verge of entering a new era, especially in the regime of the satellite.
According to the BTRC, private-sector satellite operators have a lot of opportunities following 5G introduction for the entire country.
The Bangladesh Satellite Company Limited (BSCL) officials said the estimated cost of the country's second satellite is Tk 37.07 billion.
On 4 October last year, the preliminary development project proposal (PDPP) for Bangabandhu Satellite-2 was sent to the Planning Commission.
According to the PDPP, with the launch of the satellite, the country will become self-reliant in earth observation with optical and radar images and applications.
The BSCL took operational charge of the first satellite in 2019. Despite existing demand, the agency is yet to lease out any bandwidth to foreign countries or companies due to a myriad of issues, low market rates being one of them.