Government official disclosed to the media that the country is going to put another satellite into the orbit. Though it was presented as a replacement ot supplement to the Bangabandhu-1, country's sole geostationary satellite, officials stressed that it would be a multirole satellite. Its role will not only limited to communication and broadcast, but will encompass to provide information on weather.
Bangladesh joined pretty late in satellite possessing countries. However, owning a communication satellite is boon for the country as the country has dozens of satellite TV channels, radio stations and overwhelming number of internet users. Despite its commencement few months ago, Bangladesh has yet to yield benefits from its sole communication satellite. One area that deserves urgent attention is the education sector, where the satellite can be used to broadcast high quality educational contents in a bid to provide quality education and to bridge digital divide among hard-to-reach groups.
Many of our neighboring countries have made good use of communication satellites to teach children and educate generations on science and environment. A village student does not have access to a good teacher or lab demonstrator to learn about laws of physics, properties of compounds, gas, lights etc. He/she remains dark about application of these things around him / her. To popularize science and engineering among budding population, communication satellite could play a crucial role.
Contents can be brought from abroad and be dubbed in Bangla. They can be outsourced to local production houses. There are a good number of foreign educational contents on popular science and mechanics. To meet syllabus of local school and college, tailor-made contents can be created by local production houses or universities. Ministry of Information can buy those contents and broadcast them at a convenient time. Primary schools in remote areas can be equipped with wide-screen TV and multimedia projectors and can broadcast those contents at the scheduled time.
Apart from broadcasting educational contents, communication satellite can also broadcast entertainment and news programs in popular regional languages. Government owned television channel has a large repository of entertainment contents, which can be dubbed in regional languages. At the same time, private consortium of media houses should be allowed to use it to broadcast news items in various languages. Since our media houses have fallen into the clutches of ideological groups, independent news and views have still great demand among the people.
Bangladesh can encourage launching of another international broadcasting services in collaboration with foreign entrepreneurs to cater to the need of local and regional audiences. Two-prong purposes will be served: professional and independent attitude in news making will be ensured and Bangladeshi narrative of regional and international events can be shared with international audiences.
With much fanfare we introduced Space Research And Remote Sensing Organization (SPARSO), but unfortunately we do not make good use of it. Unfortunately, we do not have any good dedicated meteorological and imagery satellite, vital for weather forecast and studying environment. BRAC Onnesha has phased out in May this year. It did provide little educational imagery data. Being a disaster prone country, having a weather satellite is call of the hour.
We also lack a navigational satellite. Our sea-going vessel needs this kind of satellite. It is also useful for digitized traffic system. Our communication satellite can play a limited role in vessel tracking and vehicle tracking. We can manufacture special communication / radio devices and install them on vessel or vehicle in order to communicate with them or track them. In recent cyclone Bulbul, a fishing boat sank off the coast of Barguna, 15 sailors / fishermen remained missing. Bodies of nine fishermen were later recovered from Barishal coast. Had there been satellite radio communications system installed on these sea-going vessels, regular updates on storm might be relayed to the fishermen.
Meanwhile, radio communications systems may also be used to keep a close tab on the movement of vehicles of public transport pool and unfit vehicle on the road. Round-the-clock surveillance through satellite radio may significantly reduce the incidence of road mishap.
Many countries in the neighborhood employ their universities to design and develop their own remote-sensing and meteorological satellite. Bangladesh should take cue from them. Government has to make sure SPARSO and some universities take part in design and development of future satellites. So far only a private university demonstrated knowledge of designing and operating a nanosatellite. A cash-strapped government may not have the resources for satellite design and development, but whatever resources it keeps aside should go to the right institution to increase its capacity and meet the needs of evolving time.
Bangladesh joined pretty late in satellite possessing countries. However, owning a communication satellite is boon for the country as the country has dozens of satellite TV channels, radio stations and overwhelming number of internet users. Despite its commencement few months ago, Bangladesh has yet to yield benefits from its sole communication satellite. One area that deserves urgent attention is the education sector, where the satellite can be used to broadcast high quality educational contents in a bid to provide quality education and to bridge digital divide among hard-to-reach groups.
Many of our neighboring countries have made good use of communication satellites to teach children and educate generations on science and environment. A village student does not have access to a good teacher or lab demonstrator to learn about laws of physics, properties of compounds, gas, lights etc. He/she remains dark about application of these things around him / her. To popularize science and engineering among budding population, communication satellite could play a crucial role.
Contents can be brought from abroad and be dubbed in Bangla. They can be outsourced to local production houses. There are a good number of foreign educational contents on popular science and mechanics. To meet syllabus of local school and college, tailor-made contents can be created by local production houses or universities. Ministry of Information can buy those contents and broadcast them at a convenient time. Primary schools in remote areas can be equipped with wide-screen TV and multimedia projectors and can broadcast those contents at the scheduled time.
Apart from broadcasting educational contents, communication satellite can also broadcast entertainment and news programs in popular regional languages. Government owned television channel has a large repository of entertainment contents, which can be dubbed in regional languages. At the same time, private consortium of media houses should be allowed to use it to broadcast news items in various languages. Since our media houses have fallen into the clutches of ideological groups, independent news and views have still great demand among the people.
Bangladesh can encourage launching of another international broadcasting services in collaboration with foreign entrepreneurs to cater to the need of local and regional audiences. Two-prong purposes will be served: professional and independent attitude in news making will be ensured and Bangladeshi narrative of regional and international events can be shared with international audiences.
With much fanfare we introduced Space Research And Remote Sensing Organization (SPARSO), but unfortunately we do not make good use of it. Unfortunately, we do not have any good dedicated meteorological and imagery satellite, vital for weather forecast and studying environment. BRAC Onnesha has phased out in May this year. It did provide little educational imagery data. Being a disaster prone country, having a weather satellite is call of the hour.
We also lack a navigational satellite. Our sea-going vessel needs this kind of satellite. It is also useful for digitized traffic system. Our communication satellite can play a limited role in vessel tracking and vehicle tracking. We can manufacture special communication / radio devices and install them on vessel or vehicle in order to communicate with them or track them. In recent cyclone Bulbul, a fishing boat sank off the coast of Barguna, 15 sailors / fishermen remained missing. Bodies of nine fishermen were later recovered from Barishal coast. Had there been satellite radio communications system installed on these sea-going vessels, regular updates on storm might be relayed to the fishermen.
Meanwhile, radio communications systems may also be used to keep a close tab on the movement of vehicles of public transport pool and unfit vehicle on the road. Round-the-clock surveillance through satellite radio may significantly reduce the incidence of road mishap.
Many countries in the neighborhood employ their universities to design and develop their own remote-sensing and meteorological satellite. Bangladesh should take cue from them. Government has to make sure SPARSO and some universities take part in design and development of future satellites. So far only a private university demonstrated knowledge of designing and operating a nanosatellite. A cash-strapped government may not have the resources for satellite design and development, but whatever resources it keeps aside should go to the right institution to increase its capacity and meet the needs of evolving time.
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