Bangladesh Satellite Company Limited (BSCL) and the University of Chittagong have signed an agreement to strengthen satellite research, develop Earth Observation capabilities and build a skilled workforce for Bangladesh’s growing space technology sector.
The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed on 24 September at the Vice-Chancellor’s Office of the University of Chittagong. University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Mohammad Al-Forkan and BSCL Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Dr Imadur Rahman attended the signing ceremony.
The partnership will provide a framework for joint research, training and the exchange of technical knowledge in areas including Earth Observation (EO) satellite technology, satellite data and image processing, artificial intelligence and machine learning, ocean observation, the blue economy and disaster management.
A key element of the agreement is the potential use of the university’s Ocean Satellite Ground Station and the research facilities of its Satellite Ocean Observation and Data Innovation Center (SODIC-CU) to support the development of BSCL’s future Earth Observation Satellite System.
The two organisations will also work together to train BSCL engineers and enhance their technical capacity to process and use EO satellite data.
The agreement includes opportunities to participate in international Earth Observation programmes, seek overseas partnerships and funding for joint projects, and assess Bangladesh’s requirements for future Earth Observation satellites through satellite-data analysis.
The initiative is expected to strengthen Bangladesh’s capacity in satellite-based Earth Observation and ocean monitoring, with applications ranging from marine resource management and disaster response to the development of the blue economy.
The partnership also comes as Bangladesh seeks to expand the domestic skills and research capabilities needed to make greater use of satellite technology in economic and environmental management.
Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Dr Mohammed Al-Amin, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Administration) Professor Dr Md Safiqul Islam and BSCL Deputy General Manager Bakhtiar Ahmed were also present at the ceremony.