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Russian company wins contract for satellite slot

Star Business Report
A Russian company yesterday won a contract to sell an orbital slot to Bangladesh for its first satellite.
The cabinet committee on economic affairs approved three proposals involving Tk 2,003 crore; and the proposal for the satellite slot was one of them.
The government will procure the orbital slot from Russia's Intersputnik to launch the Bangabandhu satellite, according to a decision by the committee, led by Finance Minister AMA Muhith.
The government will have to pay around $36 million, equivalent to Tk 281.52 crore, for the slot.
The post and telecoms division has informed the committee that the figure may be lower as negotiations with the Russian company are still underway.
As per the Bangabandhu satellite project outline, $28 million has been assigned for the purpose, but the vendor, Intersputnik, is firm on its asking price of $36 million.
The division said the slot was rated as the best option for the satellite by the project's consultant, Space Partnership International, a US company.
There is scope to launch three satellites
in a row from the slot and it will be possible to provide many planned quality services to Bangladesh and other countries in the region through it.
At present, the country’s demand for a satellite is met by renting bandwidth from different satellite operators, which costs around $ 14 million a year, with the amount increasing progressively, the official said.
Once the satellite is launched, the foreign currency will remain in the country, the division added.
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council sanctioned Tk 2,967 crore for the satellite project.
The economic affairs committee approved another proposal to set up a 225-megawatt power plant in Khulna at the site of a 60MW plant that closed earlier.
A total of $215.75 million or Tk 1,700 crore will be required to set up the dual-fuel power plant, which will be implemented through bidder financing. Production cost will be Tk 2.86 per unit if the plant generates power from gas, compared to Tk 15.21 if diesel is used.
The committee also gave a nod to implement a project to remove water stagnation in the Kapotakkha river at a cost of Tk 21.6 crore.