The government is going to set up 'Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Space Observatory Centre' with all modern facilities for observing space via telescope at a cost of Tk 213 crore in Bhanga upazila of Faridpur.
A project for the space centre is expected to get clearance from the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on January 19, said an official of the project implementing organisation-the National Museum of Science and Technology (NMST).
The project is scheduled to be implemented by June, 2024. The government will bear the entire costs of the project from its own fund. The NMST has completed all preparations to implement the project. The observatory centre will be set up in collaboration with the Bangladesh Space Research and Remote Sensing Organization (SPARRSO) under the Ministry of Defence.
Visitors from home and abroad could observe space via telescopes from the stage of this 100-metre high structure, NMST Director General Mohammad Munir Chowdhury said earlier.
According to the project details, the proposed centre will have most modern facilities, including space for holding science workshops and training opportunities for the general people, especially the students. There will also be facilities to organise training camps for participants in various International Astronomy or Astrophysics Olympiads.
It will also offer scope for MPhil, PhD researchers to carry out research on space science.
According to the project document, Bhanga has a geographical significance for setting up such a space observatory centre. Last year, eminent writer Prof Zafar Iqbal explained the geographical significance of Bhanga and proposed setting-up of a ' Space Observatory' during a meeting of Bangabandhu birth centenary celebration committee.
After getting a brief on the issue from the celebration committee, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina accepted the proposal and directed the Ministry of Science and Technology to prepare the project.
As per the directive, the Ministry of Science and Technology prepared a project proposal (DPP) involving Tk 213 crore to set up Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Space Observatory Centre, sources said.
According to the plan, a 5-storey circular building will be constructed on 10 acres of land. The main observatory tower, one metre in diameter, will rise to a height of 100 metres and it will have a horizontally rotating platform of 10-metre diametre suitable for reflector telescopes.
"The height of the observatory tower has been planned to keep at 100 metres, to commemorate the birth centenary of Bangabandhu," said an NMST official.
The 5-storey circular building will have office rooms, classrooms, laboratories and accommodation.