B’desh embarks on green data centre with ADB aid

Staff reporter :

The Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Posts and Telecommunications Division (PTD), Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL), and the Public-Private Partnership Authority (PPPA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) yesterday to develop Bangladesh’s first green data centre under a public-private partnership (PPP) model.

The MoU was signed by PPPA Director General (Finance and Administration) A K M Abul Kalam Azad, BTCL Managing Director Md. Anwar Hossain, PTD Additional Secretary Abul Khair Mohammad Salehuddun, and ADB Country Director Hoe Yun Jeong, representing their respective organisations, during
a ceremony held at the PPPA conference room in Dhaka.

The state-of-the-art data centre will be located on a BTCL-owned site near Chattogram and will be built to international standards, ensuring high availability and operational scalability. It will be powered by renewable energy and will provide commercial colocation services to both public and private enterprises, while also meeting BTCL’s internal data storage needs.

“This initiative represents a significant step towards achieving Bangladesh’s digital vision, integrating cutting-edge technology and sustainable practices to support the country’s digital transformation,” said Hoe Yun Jeong.

The project is expected to encourage private investment in the infotech sector, creating opportunities for increased capital mobilisation in digital technologies, he added.

A transaction advisory services (TAS) agreement will soon be signed to implement the project under the PPP model. ADB’s TAS support will include feasibility assessment, project structuring, tendering, and capacity building for stakeholders, fostering an environment conducive to private investment in the IT sector.