UNB, Dhaka :
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Tuesday approved the ‘Regional Submarine Telecommunication Project, Bangladesh with an outlay of Tk 660.64 crore aiming to connect Bangladesh with the 2nd submarine cable to meet the growing demand for bandwidth.
The approval came from the 27th Ecnec meeting of the current fiscal year held at the NEC conference room in the city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area with Ecnec chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said a total of 10 projects were approved yesterday involving Tk 2,365.34 crore. “Of the total project cost, Tk 1,531.33 crore will come from the national exchequer, while Tk 152.64 crore from the organisations’ own funds and Tk 681.37 crore as project assistance.” He said the overall implementation status of the Revised ADP for the July-April period of the current fiscal year touched 56 percent or with an expenditure of Tk 43,333 crore whereas the overall implementation status for the July-April period of the previous fiscal year was 54 percent or with expenditure of Tk 34,557 crore.
Out of the total project cost of Tk 660.64 crore for the Regional Submarine
Telecommunication Project, the government would provide Tk 166 crore, the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) Tk 352 crore as project assistance and Tk 142.64 crore will come from the organisation’s own fund, the Planning Minister said.
Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Limited (BSCCL) under the Posts and Telecommunications Ministry will implement the project by June, 2016.
The Planning Minister said the ground location of the 2nd submarine cable project has been selected at Kuakata under Kolapara upazila in Patuakhali.
Once the project is completed, it would be possible to meet the growing bandwidth demand and increased supply in case of data and voice. As a result, it would be possible to ensure uninterrupted internet connection as well as increased internet capacity and speed, he said.
Planning Commission member Arastoo Khan said once Bangladesh is connected with the SMW-5, then the country would get additional 1300 Gbps bandwidth through the 2nd submarine cable which is also 10 times stronger than the existing South East Asia-Middle East-West Asia-4 which in known in brief as SMW-4.
Through this project, Bangladesh is going to be connected with the South East Asia-Middle East-West Asia-5 or in brief SMW5 cable line with the aim of rendering standard and uninterrupted services in the areas of international voice and internet at low cost. The Planning Minister said the SEA-ME-WE 4 (SMW4) is a 20,000-km-long submarine cable system, connecting 14 countries through Points-of-Presence (POPs) from Singapore to the Middle East to France and Italy in Western Europe.
The new connection with SEA-ME-WE 5 (SMW5) will provide uninterrupted internet services at cheap rate.
According to a summary of the project, the Economic Relations Division (ERD) has signed a loan agreement with the IDB, involving USD 44 million, on August 27, 2014, for implementing the project. The interest rate on the loan is the LIBOR (London Interbank Offered Rate) swap rate+135 bps. The grace period is three years. Bangladesh will repay the amount in 13 years at 26 half-yearly installments.
Under the proposed project, the submarine cable SEA-ME-W-5 will be installed to connect Southeast Asia with Western Europe through the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East.
By using this cable, it will be possible to render standard and uninterrupted services in the areas of international voice and internet at low cost. Besides, on implementation, the project will help take internet services to the doorsteps of the people in rural areas.
The project will also help increase data storage through the additional landing station connection. It will also help increase the bandwidth to keep pace with the increasing demand for bandwidth.
The day’s Ecnec meeting approved another project titled ‘Water supply, sanitation and health education’ with Tk 413.89 crore of which Tk 84.52 crore will come from the government exchequer while Tk 329.37 crore as project assistance from Unicef. The Department of Public Health and Engineering (DPHE) under the Local Government Division will implement the project by June 2018.
The project aims to ensure the proper use of improved sewerage system, maintenance and supplying safe water round the year to the poor and under privileged people. The project will cover 40 upazilas and 15 city corporations of 28 districts. The other projects approved at the meeting are BSCIC Industrial Estate, Mirsarai Project, 2nd revised with Tk 29.25 crore, Interim Water Supply with Tk 252 crore, Water Supply, Sanitation and Health Education with Tk 413.89 crore, Dinajpur-Biral-Pakua-Radhikapur (Biral Land Port) road development project with Tk 62.94 crore, Creation of physical and other facilities at the Agri Economy and rural development faculty of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agriculture University with Tk 34.74 crore, extension, renovation and modernisation of Bangabandhu poverty alleviation training complex (now BAPARD), 2nd revised with Tk 326.85 crore, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Safari Park, Gazipur, 3rd revised with Tk 325.59 crore, national land zoning project, 2nd phase, 2nd revised with Tk 27.55 crore and modernization and development of the existing production, processing and marketing system of BADC with Tk 231.89 crore.
Ministers and state ministers attended the meeting. Planning Commission members and secretaries concerned were present.
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Tuesday approved the ‘Regional Submarine Telecommunication Project, Bangladesh with an outlay of Tk 660.64 crore aiming to connect Bangladesh with the 2nd submarine cable to meet the growing demand for bandwidth.
The approval came from the 27th Ecnec meeting of the current fiscal year held at the NEC conference room in the city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area with Ecnec chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said a total of 10 projects were approved yesterday involving Tk 2,365.34 crore. “Of the total project cost, Tk 1,531.33 crore will come from the national exchequer, while Tk 152.64 crore from the organisations’ own funds and Tk 681.37 crore as project assistance.” He said the overall implementation status of the Revised ADP for the July-April period of the current fiscal year touched 56 percent or with an expenditure of Tk 43,333 crore whereas the overall implementation status for the July-April period of the previous fiscal year was 54 percent or with expenditure of Tk 34,557 crore.
Out of the total project cost of Tk 660.64 crore for the Regional Submarine
Telecommunication Project, the government would provide Tk 166 crore, the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) Tk 352 crore as project assistance and Tk 142.64 crore will come from the organisation’s own fund, the Planning Minister said.
Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Limited (BSCCL) under the Posts and Telecommunications Ministry will implement the project by June, 2016.
The Planning Minister said the ground location of the 2nd submarine cable project has been selected at Kuakata under Kolapara upazila in Patuakhali.
Once the project is completed, it would be possible to meet the growing bandwidth demand and increased supply in case of data and voice. As a result, it would be possible to ensure uninterrupted internet connection as well as increased internet capacity and speed, he said.
Planning Commission member Arastoo Khan said once Bangladesh is connected with the SMW-5, then the country would get additional 1300 Gbps bandwidth through the 2nd submarine cable which is also 10 times stronger than the existing South East Asia-Middle East-West Asia-4 which in known in brief as SMW-4.
Through this project, Bangladesh is going to be connected with the South East Asia-Middle East-West Asia-5 or in brief SMW5 cable line with the aim of rendering standard and uninterrupted services in the areas of international voice and internet at low cost. The Planning Minister said the SEA-ME-WE 4 (SMW4) is a 20,000-km-long submarine cable system, connecting 14 countries through Points-of-Presence (POPs) from Singapore to the Middle East to France and Italy in Western Europe.
The new connection with SEA-ME-WE 5 (SMW5) will provide uninterrupted internet services at cheap rate.
According to a summary of the project, the Economic Relations Division (ERD) has signed a loan agreement with the IDB, involving USD 44 million, on August 27, 2014, for implementing the project. The interest rate on the loan is the LIBOR (London Interbank Offered Rate) swap rate+135 bps. The grace period is three years. Bangladesh will repay the amount in 13 years at 26 half-yearly installments.
Under the proposed project, the submarine cable SEA-ME-W-5 will be installed to connect Southeast Asia with Western Europe through the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East.
By using this cable, it will be possible to render standard and uninterrupted services in the areas of international voice and internet at low cost. Besides, on implementation, the project will help take internet services to the doorsteps of the people in rural areas.
The project will also help increase data storage through the additional landing station connection. It will also help increase the bandwidth to keep pace with the increasing demand for bandwidth.
The day’s Ecnec meeting approved another project titled ‘Water supply, sanitation and health education’ with Tk 413.89 crore of which Tk 84.52 crore will come from the government exchequer while Tk 329.37 crore as project assistance from Unicef. The Department of Public Health and Engineering (DPHE) under the Local Government Division will implement the project by June 2018.
The project aims to ensure the proper use of improved sewerage system, maintenance and supplying safe water round the year to the poor and under privileged people. The project will cover 40 upazilas and 15 city corporations of 28 districts. The other projects approved at the meeting are BSCIC Industrial Estate, Mirsarai Project, 2nd revised with Tk 29.25 crore, Interim Water Supply with Tk 252 crore, Water Supply, Sanitation and Health Education with Tk 413.89 crore, Dinajpur-Biral-Pakua-Radhikapur (Biral Land Port) road development project with Tk 62.94 crore, Creation of physical and other facilities at the Agri Economy and rural development faculty of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agriculture University with Tk 34.74 crore, extension, renovation and modernisation of Bangabandhu poverty alleviation training complex (now BAPARD), 2nd revised with Tk 326.85 crore, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Safari Park, Gazipur, 3rd revised with Tk 325.59 crore, national land zoning project, 2nd phase, 2nd revised with Tk 27.55 crore and modernization and development of the existing production, processing and marketing system of BADC with Tk 231.89 crore.
Ministers and state ministers attended the meeting. Planning Commission members and secretaries concerned were present.
