Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology (ICT) Minister Mustafa Jabbar on Friday said Bangabandhu-1, the country’s first satellite project, will be launched in between March 26 to March 31 from Cape Carnival Launch Pad in Florida, USA.

The minister came up with the deadline while addressing as the chief guest at a programme at BCC Auditorium at ICT Tower in the city over the development of the ICT sector in last four years, reports the UNB.

Mustafa Jabbar also said the government will work to increase internet speed and reduce the price of internet data and ensure safe internet browsing.

School children become glad when they get internet access, but their parents become worried, the minister observed.

Over the issue, he said, ‘It is our moral responsibility to ensure children’s safety on internet.

The Prime Minister has also asked him to ensure internet safety, he informed.

About the internet price at user level, the Minister said its price should be same in the entire country. ‘I have taken it as a challenge to make internet prices affordable for the countrymen.’

State Minister for ICT Division Zunaid Ahmed said now the rate of internet penetration is 50 percent in the country, but the government wants to increase it up to 100 percent by 2021.

Noting that most of people have smart phones in their hands, Palak said the government is undertaking projects to turn e-governance into m-governance.

He said 40 percent of the people are now under e-services. ‘We’ll be able to ensure 90 percent e-governance by 2021.’

Palak said all upazilas of the country have already brought under optical fibre network and a move is underway to reach the network to more than 2,000 unions across the country.

He said the export volume of the country’s ICT sector is now US$ 800 million. We’ve set target to increase the export size to US$ one billion in 2018 and five billion by 2021.

Focusing different other successes of the ICT sector, the State Minister said, ‘Now every citizen of the country is enjoying the benefits of the Digital Bangladesh.’

Subir Kishore Choudhury, secretary of ICT Division, also spoke on the occasion.