Bangladesh Becomes 54th Nation to Join NASA in Space Collaboration
Bangladesh has officially signed a cooperation agreement with the United States’ National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), becoming the 54th country to do so, according to Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Executive Chairman, Choudhury Ashiq Mahmood Bin Harun. He stated that the benefits of this partnership are expected to materialize in the next 20 to 25 years.
He made the announcement during a press briefing held on Tuesday, April 8, at the InterContinental Hotel in Dhaka.
The Memorandum of Understanding was signed on the sidelines of an international summit. On behalf of Bangladesh, the agreement was signed by Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, Md. Ashraf Uddin, and on behalf of NASA, it was signed by the U.S. Embassy’s Chargé d'Affaires in Dhaka, Tracey Ann Jacobson.
NASA’s Acting Administrator, Mrs. Janet Petro, sent a video message for the signing event. Among the attendees were Choudhury Ashiq Mahmood Bin Harun, Executive Chairmen of BIDA and BEZA; Stephen Ibelli, Public Diplomacy Counselor at the U.S. Embassy; James S. Gardiner, Acting Head of the Economic Unit; Md. Rashidul Islam, Chairman of the Bangladesh Space Research and Remote Sensing Organization (SPARRSO); A.F.M. Zahid-ul-Islam, Director General of the North America Wing of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Director Md. Shafiul Alam; and Nahiyan Rahman Rochi, Head of Business Development at BIDA.
Regarding the agreement with NASA, Choudhury Ashiq said, “Our future generation will include space researchers, and perhaps residents of space. Based on this outlook, a joint initiative has been launched, involving many countries. Today, by signing this MoU, we have become the 54th country to participate in this collaboration. Already, 53 countries are engaged in space research with NASA. To truly see the benefits of this agreement, we must look 20 to 25 years ahead.”
He added, “When we talk about our youth, we must remember they are global. Ask a primary school student what they want to be, and half of them will say they want to be astronauts. So when will we see a Bangladeshi astronaut? If our goal is to send one into space, we need to take initiatives like this. This is our first step in agreeing to work with NASA and the other 53 nations in the field of space research.”
He further noted, “Our existing space research agency will collaborate with NASA. Some scientists are already working in this field. Through this collaborative effort, we hope that Bangladesh will secure a position in space within the next ten years.”
Following the conclusion of the investment summit, the BIDA Chairman expressed hope that foreign investors would leave with a positive image of Bangladesh. He revealed that the New Development Bank is already showing interest in investing $1 billion in the country this year. Additionally, the government is expected to announce a new energy policy soon.
In an earlier press conference, Choudhury Ashiq disclosed that a potential $22 billion investment by South Korean tech giant Samsung fell through due to land-related complications. “The previous government failed to provide necessary support, causing Samsung and many other promising investors to withdraw. Samsung had shown interest in investing in the Korean Export Processing Zone (KEPZ) in Chattogram, but unresolved land mutation issues ultimately drove them to invest in Vietnam,” he said.
He claimed that the current government resolved the land issue within just two months of taking office—a problem the previous administration could not address in ten years. “We have shown that where there is a will, there is a way,” he asserted.
Choudhury Ashiq also mentioned that after assuming his role at BIDA, he met with Youngone Corporation Chairman, Kihak Sung, the founding company of KEPZ. “He expressed regret, saying, ‘I love Bangladesh, but due to the uncertainty around land documentation, Samsung backed out from investing,’” Ashiq noted.
