The France government has said the Bangabandhu-1 satellite will open up a wide range of opportunities for Bangladesh.
The opportunities include broadcasting and weather forecasting services, and high-speed internet connectivity in hard-to-reach areas.
"We congratulate the government and the people of Bangladesh for entering a new era, as underlined by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina," the French Embassy in Dhaka said on Sunday.
It is an important step forward in Bangladesh's digital advancement, reads the statement.
The statement said the French government has supported the satellite project from its inception and wishes to thank the French company Thales Alenia Space, designer and manufacturer of the satellite, and the US launching company SpaceX, for their full success in its realization and launch.
Initial connections have already been established with Gazipur and Rangamati ground stations, while the satellite Bangabandhu-1 is making smooth progress towards its orbit.
"We express our heartiest appreciation to all the partners and actors of this spatial endeavor," the French Embassy said.
The statement said: "Bangladesh is now the 57th nation in the world and the fourth in South Asia to own a communication satellite.”
