Bangladesh to install the third submarine cable

In 1991 and 1994, Bangladesh was offered to join the submarine cable at no cost. But the then government did not understand the importance of it. The proposal was withdrawn for fear of 'data smuggling' in the country. Although we’ve missed the opportunity to be able to join the IT sectors twice in a row, that incident did not repeat again in 2008. On May 21 of that year, Bangladesh was added to the C-M-We-Four submarine cable. Although Bangladesh had to pay 750 crore taka for this. Then Bangladesh has also been connected to the second cable. Bangladesh is  waiting for the third submarine cable.

Connecting with submarine cable has been hailed as one of the best achievements in 50 years of independence. As a result of this attachment, it will be easier to implement Vision-2021, 2031 and 2041. As a result of being connected to submarine cable, Bangladesh is now a country of bandwidth exporter from importer country.

When asked, Posts and Telecommunications Minister Mustafa Jabbar said that joining the submarine cable is one of our great achievements.We missed the first opportunity. Later it was not missed. We would not have been able to build a digital Bangladesh without submarine cable. We are also exporting some of the surplus bandwidth after fulfilling our own needs.

He added that Bangladesh would cross another milestone if it could be connected to the third submarine cable.

Mashiur Rahman, managing director of Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Limited (BSCCL), said, "We have connected two submarine cables before 50 years of independence. We will be connected to the third cable soon. '

However, he thinks that if the time we were connected to the submarine cable was 5-10 years ago, the ICT sector would have moved forward at a great pace.

Bandwidth import from Bangladesh to India has stopped. Asked if it would be re-launched, the managing director of BSCCL said, "Our contract with India was for three years." They used to get 10 Gbps bandwidth. The agreement ended in February 2019. At their request, the term was extended to February 2020. Since then exports have stopped.

He said India is seeking bandwidth again. Bangladesh asked to pay the arrears first. According to that, India has paid about 80 percent of the arrears. The country's state-run telecom operator BSNL said its bandwidth standards in the state of Tripura had deteriorated. This time their demand is 20 Gbps.

Mashiur Rahman said that Saudi Arabia has asked Bangladesh for 600 Gbps bandwidth. Saudi Arabia sent the agreement to Bangladesh. Bangladesh has returned the agreement with some additions and deletions. He said the two countries would sign a new agreement if they sent it.

According to BSCCL, the demand is higher at the eastern end of Bangladesh's submarine cable. Everyone wants up to Singapore. Demand is also high as most countries or organizations have data centers based in Singapore. The company wants to sell unused bandwidth on the west side.

The company further said that China's CMI, Malaysia's Telecom Malaysia and an Italian telecom company have shown interest in taking Bangladesh's bandwidth. According to BSCCL authorities, Bangladesh will sell unused bandwidth on the western end of the submarine cable from Sri Lanka. The reason given is that the bandwidth on the west end of the submarine cable is not used very much.

It was learned that on May 21, 2006, Bangladesh was connected to submarine cable for the first time. Whose name is C-M-We-Four. Which will expire in 2025. Although it is an economic term. Can be used till 2030. Its landing station is at Jhilangha in Cox's Bazar. The term of the second submarine cable is 25 years. Bangladesh got connected to it on 21st February 2017. Its landing station is at Kuakata. Bangladesh will soon join the third cable C-M-We-Six (Southeast Asia-Middle East-Western Europe-6). Bangladesh will sign the consortium next June. Bangladesh is getting 500 Gbps bandwidth from the first submarine cable and 2300 Gbps bandwidth from the second submarine cable.

Incidentally, the cost of connecting the first submarine cable to Bangladesh is about 750 crore. The cost of connecting to the second cable is Tk 610 crore.