Vice-Chancellor of the University of Kashmir Prof Nilofer Khan on Friday said her team is mulling over launching multiple developmental programmes that can comprehensively enhance students' personalities. Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on May 19 appointed Prof Nilofer Khan, Professor Department of Home Science, as the new Vice-Chancellor of the University of Kashmir. Nilofer, who has been associated with the Kashmir University in different capacities for the last thirty-seven years, said to ANI that working with dedication has remained her core value during her career so far. "I will continue to remain dedicated in her role as Vice-Chancellor too," she said. She said her team is mulling over launching multiple development programmes that can comprehensively enhance students' personalities. She also emphasized working in a direction that can further improve the university's performance at all parameters. "I will continue my work towards the student development programs. I will try to take everyone ahead together. We will try to get NAAC Accreditation A++ in 2024 which is currently A+. We will try to improve our NIRF ranking," Prof Nilofer said. Kashmiri students, she said, have huge potential and it needed to be channelized in an appropriate direction. Prof Nilofer said her only objective as of now is the comprehensive development of all her students. "Kashmiri youths are skilled and talented. No matter where they are, they have been performing exceedingly well. And there is a huge potential for the youth in the valley and we believe that we are going in the right direction." Nilofer said. "The management has floated a mega programme, which is essentially focused on developing students in other fields too. The excellence should not remain limited to academics only but the youth should be excelling at extra-curricular activities too. Not just boys, but girls too should be excelling in these activities," added Prof Nilofer. While thanking her parents, especially her father from whom she believes that she has imbibed many of her qualities, Nilofer said she will remain committed to gender equality. "I belong to a middle-class family. In our joint family, we were four sisters. When I talk about gender equality, I remember that my father gave preference to his daughters in studies. We were students in a convent and our brothers studied in DAV school. His attitude towards gender equity was embedded in me. He vouched for female education. And I worked for that as well," said Prof Nilofer. Source:  ANI  

Indian Minister Jitendra Singh said on Thursday said that the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has signed six agreements with four countries for launching foreign satellites during 2021-2023. In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Singh informed that about 132 million Euros would be earned through launching of these foreign satellites on a commercial basis. "ISRO through its commercial arm, New Space India Limited (NSIL), a Government of India company under Department of Space (DOS), has been launching satellites belonging to other countries on-board Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), on a commercial basis," Singh said. He further said that the NSIL as on date has signed six Launch Service Agreements with customers from four countries for launching foreign satellites into space on-board PSLV during 2021-2023. A total number of 124 indigenous satellites have been put into Earth's orbit including 12 student satellites. In another written reply to a similar question in the Rajya Sabha today, Singh informed that starting from 1999 till date, a total of 342 foreign satellites belonging to 34 countries have been successfully launched onboard PSLV on a commercial basis. The Minister said that through launching of foreign satellites on-board Indian launch vehicle, India has earned a Foreign Exchange revenue of approximately 35 Million USD and 10 Million Euros during the last 3 years between 2019 to 2021. The type of foreign satellites that were launched through Indian Launch Vehicle includes satellites primarily for Earth Observation, Scientific and Technology demonstration purposes, he added. Source : ANI

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid rich tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on the occasion of the successful launching of the country's first communication satellite 'Bangabandhu-1' into the space. The premier paid the homage by placing a wreath at the portrait of Bangabandhu in front of Bangabandhu Bhaban at Dhanmondi in the city on Sunday afternoon. Reports BSS. After placing the wreath, she stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the architect of the country's independence.  Flanked by senior leaders, Sheikh Hasina, also the Awami League chief, laid another wreath at the portrait of Bangabandhu on behalf of her party. Road Transport and Bridges Minister and AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader, AL Presidium Members Advocate Sahara Khatun, Dr Abdur Razzak and Muhammad Faruk Khan and Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Sayeed Khokan were present, among others. Besides, AL Joint General Secretaries Mahbubul Alam Hanif, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Dr Dipu Moni and Abdur Rahman, Organizing Secretaries Ahmed Hossain, AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Enamul Haque Shamim and Abu Sayeed Al Mahmud Shwapan and central leaders Ashim Kumar Ukil, Mrinal Kanti Das, Afzal Hussain, Iqbal Hossain Apu and Anwar Hossain were present. Later, AL's associate bodies including Jubo League, Mohila Awami League, Chhatra League, Sechchasebak League, Sramik League, Jubo Mohila League and Krishak League placed wreaths at the portrait of the Father of Nation. Bangladesh entered a new era as a proud member of the satellite club following the successful launching of the Bangabandhu-1 satellite into the orbit on Saturday. Manufactured by the Thales Alenia Space of France, the Block-5 of Falcon 9 rocket of SpaceX carrying the 3.7-metric ton Bangabandhu-1 satellite began its journey from the Cape Canaveral launching pad in Florida, the USA at 2:14 am (BST) on Saturday. The satellite will take 10 days to reach its orbital slot and will be placed into the orbit at 119.1 degree East. AH

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed her firm optimism of launching Bangladesh's maiden communication satellite into the orbit and urged the countrymen not to be disheartened about it. "There is nothing to be worried about launching of Bangabandhu Satellite-1 into the orbit. It will be launched Insha Allah and we will surely get it," she said. The prime minister said, "I will like to tell the countrymen not to be disheartened about the satellite. However, I was also disheartened as the satellite could not be launched for only 46 seconds," she said. Sheikh Hasina said cancellation of launching satellite (at the last moment) is a normal incident and those who think about the science know it very well. "So there is nothing to be worried ... we must get it," she said.  The Prime Minister said this while inaugurating the 29th National Council of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) at the historic Suhrawardhy Udyan in the capital on Friday afternoon as the chief guest. Reports BSS. Sheikh Hasina said the satellite was supposed to be launched yesterday and all were hopeful about it. She said the launching of satellite is a sensitive matter and computerized program is made for it. "The countdown of time for launching started last night in Florida Space Centre where Joy (Sajeeb Wazed) and our other people were present there," she said. The premier said she instructed Joy to phone her immediately after launching of the satellite. "Accordingly Joy phoned me that the satellite will be launched within 15 minutes and the countdown of the time began," she said. But, she said, the launching stopped when 46 seconds remained. There might be technical reasons for it and despite that the authorities tried to increase time to start it and gave two more hours. But the satellite was not launched as the time expired, she said. Sheikh Hasina said the authorities have time for launching of the satellite today. "It is scheduled to be launched at 4pm US time (2am Bangladesh time) and if it couldn't be launched at the stipulated time, they will give another time slot," she said. "It's normal incident and I've seen it staying in Florida," she added. The premier said the launching of satellite could be halted due to various reasons. "When the countdown of time starts, it could be stopped and then the process for launching has to begin afresh," she said.  Sheikh Hasina said Florida witnessed snowfall, flood and storms this year. "So the launching of the Bangabandhu satellite was delayed. Not only of Bangladesh's satellite, launching of other satellites were also delayed," she said. AH

The launching process of Bangabandhu-1 satellite will resume tonight after it was postponed early hours of Friday due to 'standard ground system auto abort'. "Standing down today (Friday) due to a standard ground system auto abort," SpaceX tweeted early Friday. Reports BSS. Prime Minister's ICT Affairs Adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy, who is leading a Bangladesh delegation to Florida, USA, to witness the satellite launching, said in a Facebook status that the final minutes of the launch was fully controlled by computers.  He said if the computer finds any measurement is out of normal, it aborts the launch.  "Today it aborted the launch just 42 seconds before launch. SpaceX will check everything and attempt the launch again tomorrow at the same time. This is quite normal for rocket launches as you cannot take any risk," Joy said.  SpaceX in its tweet said the rocket and satellite "are in good health" and its teams are working on resuming the launching process at 4:14 pm US local time, which will be 2.14 am Bangladesh time on May 12 (Saturday). Earlier, SpaceX completed all the processes to launch the nation's dream satellite last night 4:14 pm US local time and 2:14 am Bangladesh time. The schedule was even forwarded by half an hour and then again deferred by two hours before the auto abort of the launching process.  Now, SpaceX will resume the launching process tonight to send the country's first geostationary communication satellite to the orbit from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, USA. Falcon 9, the finest rocket of American firm SpaceX, will carry the satellite to the orbit from the Cape Canaveral launching pad. "Launching of Bangabandhu-1 satellite is an instance of technology-led transformation of Bangladesh under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her ICT Affairs Adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy," said State Minister for ICT Division Zunaid Ahmed Palak, who is now in Florida to witness the momentous event. He said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman initiated the task of entering the space age by setting up the country's first ever satellite earth station in 1974. People all of ages across the country were awake even after mid-night (Thursday night) to watch the live telecast of the country's another proud event. Many people especially the expatriate Bangladeshis in different countries also sit in front of televisions and computers to see the live telecast and webcast of the satellite launching. With sending the Bangabandhu-1 to the orbit, Bangladesh will become the 57th country to launch a geostationary communication satellite. Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) chairman Dr Shahjahan Mahmood earlier said Falcon-9 will pull the 3.7-tonne satellite vertically up to 36 thousand kilometers from the launch pad before making adjustments for orbit. The launching has two phases. The first is the Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP), and the second phase is Satellite in Orbit. The LEOP phase will take 10 days while the second will take 20 days. Mahmood said after completing and traveling several processes, few more days will be required to tame the satellite at its Gazipur's Joydebpur and Rangamati's Betbunia ground stations. Manufactured by the Thales Alenia Space of France, Bangladesh will operate satellite from 119.1 degree East using a payload comprising 26 Ku- Band and 14 C-Band transponders to deliver focused telecommunications coverage to Bangladesh. One transponder is equivalent to 36 MHz. Ku-band covers Bangladesh and its territorial area of the Bay of Bengal, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and the Philippines. C-band covers Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Myanmar, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and portions of Kazakhstan.  SpaceX had previously planned to launch the satellite using Falcon-9 rockets on December 16, 2017, but the launch was postponed due to damage from Hurricane Irma. The government took the Bangabandhu-1 project in May 2015 and assigned the Thales Alenia by signing a 248 million US dollars deal in November same year. Thales Alenia completed the manufacturing works of the satellite few months ago and kept it in a warehouse in Cannes of France. Later, on March 29, the satellite was shifted to Florida. Two ground stations for controlling the satellite have already been built at Joydebpur of Gazipur and Rangamati's Betbunia. The satellite has 15 years for mission life span while another 3 years for its design. The satellite will offer video services for Direct-to-Home (DTH), e- learning, Tele-medicine, Family Planning, Farming etc while voice service to cellular backhaul and disaster recovery, etc and data service for internet, SCADA, SOHO as well as business-to-business (VSAT). Bangabandhu-1 Satellite is to establish Bangladesh's own stake on the space opening up enormous opportunities providing three types of advantages involving fields of information and communication technology (ICT) and broadcasting industry alongside brightening image of Bangladesh. Experts and officials said the country's first geostationary communication satellite will firstly help expansion of internet and telecommunication services in remote and rugged areas, which still remain beyond coverage. It will also save foreign currency expenditure while the local TV channels' huge viewership, particularly in the Middle East countries, is expected to be its main commercial users. On the other hand, the country can earn foreign currency by renting the Bangabandhu-1 transponders to other countries. AH