The country's maiden satellite named "Bangabandhu Satellite" is expected to be launched by December 2017.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, also in charge of the Ministry of Post, Telecommunication and Information Technology in the House, said this in parliament on Saturday in reply to a question from treasury bench member Md Abul Kalam (Natore-1).

The minister said the ECNEC on September 16 last year approved the DPP of the project titled "Bangabandhu Satellite Launching". The scheme would be executed at an estimated cost of Taka 2,967.9577 crore.

He said Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission and Intersputnik of Russia inked a deal on January 15 this year procurement of orbital slot.

The main tender for purchasing "Bangabandhu Satellite System" was floated on March 3 in 2015 and the pre-tender meeting to this end was held on April 27, he said.

As per the tender documents of Bangabandhu Satellite System, Quader said, the last date for submitting the tender was June 18 this year. "It is expected that Bangabandhu Satellite would be launched on the orbit by December 2017," he said.

BSS/LY