Bangladesh is set to reduce its dependence on foreign agencies for oceanic and weather-related satellite data as the country’s first Ocean Satellite Ground Station prepares to begin operations at Chittagong University (CU).
Named the “Ocean Observation and Data Innovation Centre”, the facility is expected to provide critical oceanic and meteorological data within 15 to 20 minutes, significantly improving disaster preparedness and climate research capacity.
The infrastructure of the facility has already been completed on the CU campus, while trial operations are scheduled to begin on June 9, according to project coordinator Prof Dr Mohammad Moslem Uddin of the university’s oceanography department.
He said the inauguration ceremony is expected to be attended by Chinese ambassador to Bangladesh, Yao Wen, a five-member Chinese delegation and Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon.
The project formally began on March 26, 2025. Officials said it is not a financial assistance-based initiative. Instead, China’s Ministry of Natural Resources, through the Second Institute of Oceanography (SIO), is providing instrumental and technical support.
The Chinese institute is supplying antennas, an archive centre, computers, monitors and other research equipment worth nearly Tk 50 crore.
CU, meanwhile, is contributing land, infrastructure development, security, electricity supply, operational expenses and academic expertise, with an estimated value of around Tk 20 crore.
Officials said the ground station would support faster research on climate change, cyclones, river erosion, coastal flooding and deforestation, while enabling quicker decision-making during disasters.
The station is also expected to strengthen Bangladesh’s blue economy by helping identify potential fishing zones in the Bay of Bengal through analysis of sea surface temperature, salinity, ocean current velocity and chlorophyll concentration.
The project is being jointly implemented by the university’s Department of Oceanography and the Second Institute of Oceanography under China’s Ministry of Natural Resources.
Officials said the station is expected to connect with around 11 satellites, enabling rapid access to information on weather changes, cyclone forecasting, forest loss and river erosion. Researchers will also be able to use the satellite resources for academic and scientific studies.
Any satellite passing over the Bay of Bengal will be able to transmit real-time data directly to the station for immediate analysis.
The station, established beside the university’s Marine Science Faculty, has a storage capacity of around 420 terabytes and is already collecting data from several Chinese satellites, as well as satellites operated by Japan and Nasa, Prof Moslem said.
“It is basically a downlink station where data from multiple satellites will be received,” he said.
“The primary goal of the centre is to expand research and education. Once operational, it will be possible to provide disaster forecasts 48 to 72 hours in advance, which will help protect lives and property in coastal areas,” he added.
CU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Mohammad Al-Forkan said, “The work is almost complete, and trial operations are expected to begin in early June. A committee has already been formed to organise the inauguration ceremony.”
On December 19, 2024, an agreement on the project was signed by former CU vice-chancellor Prof Dr Yeahia Akhter and Prof Dr Fang Yingjia, head of the Second Institute of Oceanography.
