The estimated project cost for connectivity with the second submarine cable has been set at Tk 500 crore, according to a telecommunications ministry report submitted to the parliamentary standing committee meeting on the ministry on Thursday. Bangladesh is one of the 21 countries that have failed to complete the process for the connectivity to the SEA-ME-WE-5 in time.The Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Ltd will provide a half of the estimated cost from its own resources, the report said.
The proposed second submarine cable connectivity is scheduled to go in operation by 2014, Abdus Sattar, the chairman of the standing committee on the telecoms ministry, told reporters after the meeting.
With the second cable connectivity, Bangladesh could use a 700Gbps bandwidth. The landing station of the second submarine cable will be set up at Kuakata in Patuakhali.
Committee members Sahara Khatun, also the telecoms minister, Moazzam Hossain Ratan and Abdul Kuddus attended the meeting.
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission chairman, Sunil Kanti Bose, was present.
A source in the committee, meanwhile, told New Age that no members on the standing committee on the telecoms ministry, or officials of the Anti-Corruption Commission or journalists will be allowed in the 3G auction bidding scheduled for September 8.
-With New Age input
