Dhaka: Bangabandhu-1, the first commercial satellite of the country, will begin its experimental operation by facilitating Bangladesh Television (BTV) air live the matches of the 12th South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship Cup beginning on Tuesday. 

Md Saiful Islam, Managing Director of Bangladesh Communication Satellite Company Limited (BCSCL) on Monday confirmed the matter.

SAFF Suzuki Cup 2018 is scheduled to start on Tuesday afternoon at Bangabandhu National Stadium and run until September 15.

Bangladesh entered the elite Space Club of 57 nations with the launch of its first geostationary communications satellite, Bangabandhu-1, into the orbit by US space transport company SpaceX on May 12.

The satellite was launched using the latest version of SpaceX’s upgraded Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket, from the historic Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral.

The slot was rented from Russian satellite company Intersputnik for $28 million in January 2015.