Bangladesh Space Research and Remote Sensing Organization

SPARRSO is under an urgent government mandate to modernize into a self-reliant institution capable of supporting national security and border surveillance through indigenous satellite and remote sensing capabilities.

SPARRSO traces its operational origins to 1968 when it hosted an NASA Automatic Picture Transmission (APT) ground station; formal institutional history runs from 1972 (SARC created within BAEC) through 1980 (SARC merged with the Bangladesh Landsat Programme to form SPARRSO by executive order) to 1991 (statutory reorganization via Act No. 29). The established_year field is set to 1980, which is the year of formal organizational creation as SPARRSO (the 1991 Act reorganized and gave statutory structure to the already-existing body). Legal basis confirmed by Wikipedia, Banglapedia, UN-SPIDER, and govserv.org cross-reference. Chairman Md. Rashidul Islam (Additional Secretary rank, previously posted at the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education) was appointed via Ministry of Public Administration gazette notification on or around October 16, 2023; confirmed by Daily Sun and The Asian Age (both October 2023). Staff count of 190 (scientists, technical, and non-technical) sourced from Banglapedia; no contradictory figure found in other primary sources. SPARRSO annual budget is not separately disclosed in publicly accessible English-language sources; annual_budget_bdt left null. Bangladesh Satellite-1 (launched May 12, 2018 from Kennedy Space Center; 40 Ku-band and C-band transponders; built by Thales Alenia Space) was formerly named Bangabandhu Satellite-1; renamed after August 2024 political transition. BSCL (formerly BCSCL) assumed operational control from BTRC in 2025; SPARRSO's Telipara (Gazipur) ground station is part of the satellite's two-station control infrastructure (the second station is at Bethbunia, Rangamati). Verification based on 2+ primary sources for all material claims.