Bangladesh has taken full control of its first geostationary communications satellite, Bangabandhu-1.
Thales Alenia Space, which developed the satellite, handed over its transmission and operation management to Bangladesh on Friday.
The government will now start the commercial activities of the satellite, reports UNB.
A delegation of the Franco-Italian aerospace company handed over relevant documents to acting Chairman of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Md Jahurul Haque.
A function was arranged marking the handover at the Bangladesh Communication Satellite Company Limited (BCSCL) office at Banglamotor in the city on Friday evening.
Later, the acting BTRC chief transferred the documents to BCSCL Chairman Dr Shahjahan Mahmood at the programme.
Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Minister Mustafa Jabbar and French Ambassador to Bangladesh Marie-Annick BOURDIN were present at the ceremony.
Thales Alenia Space designed and built the satellite, which was launched into the orbit on May 11 last.
Earlier, the BCSCL appointed Thai firm Thaicom Public Limited Company as the consultant for commercially launching the activities the satellite abroad.
Bangladesh entered the elite Space Club of 57 nations with the launch of its first geostationary communications satellite 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 Centre in Cape Canaveral.
Two ground stations -- one in Betbunia of Rangamati and the other at Joydevpur of Gazipur -- have been set up to control the satellite.
