IDB offers $44m for second undersea cable

The government of Bangladesh has signed a Tk 340 crore ($44 million) loan contract with Islamic Development Bank to install the second submarine cable for the country. The installation may complete by 2016, while Bangladesh entered a consortium in March this year. Monwar Hossain, managing director of Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Ltd (BSCCL), said BSCCL has already paid $19.2 million to the consortium from its own fund. Bangladesh will have to spend a total of $72.5 million for the new cable. The IDB will provide $44 million, while BSCCL will spend $70 million from its own fund. The rate of interest for the loans will be LIBOR+1.35 percent and the loans will have to be repaid in 13 years.