Chittagong University launches country’s first ocean satellite ground station
The project has been implemented jointly by the University of Chittagong and Second Institute of Oceanography
The country's first-ever ocean satellite ground station has been inaugurated at Chittagong University (CU) to enhance Bangladesh's capabilities in natural disaster forecasting and marine resource management.
The Satellite Ocean Observation and Data Innovation Centre was officially inaugurated this morning (9 June).
The facility was unveiled by Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin, state minister for land and Chittagong Hill Tracts affairs.
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Among those present at the inauguration ceremony were Mamun Ahmed, chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC); Mohammad Aiyub Islam; Mohammad Al-Forkan; Pro-Vice Chancellors Mohammad Shamim Uddin Khan and Md Kamal Uddin; Chinese Embassy Cultural Counsellor Li Shaopeng; and Fu Bin, deputy director of the Second Institute of Oceanography.
The project, costing around Tk70 crore, has been implemented jointly by the University of Chittagong and Second Institute of Oceanography. The Chinese institution has contributed approximately Tk60 crore in technical and mechanical support.
According to project officials, Bangladesh currently relies on data from foreign agencies, resulting in a 20 to 30-hour delay in receiving critical information. Once fully operational, the ground station will be able to collect and analyse detailed coastal data within just 10 to 15 minutes.
The station is capable of receiving data from multiple ocean and Earth observation satellites operating over the Bay of Bengal. Using this information, authorities will be able to analyse sea surface temperatures and cloud movements to issue cyclone and storm surge warnings 48 to 72 hours in advance.
The facility will also help identify potential fishing zones in the Bay of Bengal and support oil and gas exploration by analysing sea surface salinity and temperature.
Project officials said an SGSMRS 2035 Master Plan is being prepared to transform Bangladesh into South Asia's leading marine data hub by 2035. Plans are also underway to establish a second data centre in Cox's Bazar and integrate artificial intelligence technologies into future operations.
Construction of the station was formally launched on 26 March, 2025, at the university's Faculty of Marine Sciences. Following the inauguration, a discussion session was held at the Business Administration Faculty auditorium.
