DHAKA, April 3, 2024 (BSS) - State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat today inaugurated the commercial operation of television rating point (TRP) service of the Bangladesh Satellite Company Limited (BSCL).

Arafat along with State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications and ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak opened the service at a function at BSCL headquarters in the city's Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue this afternoon, said an official release.

Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud joined the inaugural function virtually while Posts and Telecommunications Secretary Abu Hena Morshed Zaman, ICT Secretary Md Shamsul Arefin, BSCL Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Shahjahan Mahmud and Ekattor Media Limited Managing Director Mozammel Babu were present, among others, at the event.

Speaking on the occasion, Mohammad Ali Arafat said BSCL has started a very good work with the launch of the commercial operation of TRP service. 

It is a matter of proud that a government organization has developed this technology in a joint venture with a university, he said, adding that this technological innovation has proven that the government can produce digital product in collaboration with the private sector, especially universities, which can be commercially profitable.

"This is a huge achievement for us," the state minister for information and broadcasting said.

Arafat thanked former Information and Broadcasting Minister and incumbent Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud, and State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications and ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak for their tremendous work to take the technological advancement in the modern stage.

He said, "This technological innovation would have been impossible without your (Hasan Mahmud and Palak) initiative and cooperation, especially without the cooperation of Bangabandhu Satellite.'

It would be possible to take bigger initiatives in the country by using own technology in the days coming ahead, Arafat added.

Larger projects like TRP system would be undertaken in the country, which will be commercially profitable and have utility, under the initiative of the government and in collaboration with the universities in future, he said.

Later, the state minister along with other guests inspected the activities of the newly launched TRP service at the BSCL office.