Consultancy Services for Preliminary Environmental and Social Baseline for Feasibility Study on Digitalization and Development of Islands along Bay of Bengal, the Haor Area and the Beel Areas of Bangladesh

The Danish Embassy in Dhaka, on behalf of Danida Business Finance, has entered an MoU with the relevant Bangladeshi Authorities (the Economic Relations Division of the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology) to provide 75% funding for preparation of a Feasibility Study of the i-Land Project Concept. The remaining cost for preparation of the feasibility study will be covered by the Government of Bangladesh. The Bangladesh Government contribution will be in the form of the local survey data and background information needed as part of the Feasibility Study and Detailed Project Definition with Bills of Quantity (BOQs), to be produced by an international Feasibility Team in a separate study. The Feasibility Study and the preparatory work described in these ToR will be managed by the DoICT as the project owner.

As currently envisioned, the project concept is to connect and integrate villages, Technical Resource Centres (TRCs) and WIFI-Hotspots into the National Communication Network. Although it is not yet fully defined the following outlines the technical infrastructure and scope that might typically be adopted:

Ø Fiber backbone

•         Wet and dry project, on-land & sub-marine fiber cables

•         Submarine fiber cables and direct connecting land cables (coastal area)

•         Submarine fiber cable link, Sylhet to Netrokona (Haor area)

•         Connected to the existing fiber backbone

•         Optical redundancy

•         10 Gb Local IP-MPLS Metro rings for direct fiber connection

•         Wi-Fi zones at Unions, High-schools and selected schools/healthcare facilities with local content

•         DC power provided by solar / grid with battery backup

Ø 5.8 Ghz microwave / TVWS radio backhaul towers at metro ring center

•         Radio backhaul range up to 15 km

•         Wi-Fi zones with local content where no Metro ring is available

•         DC Power provided by solar / grid with battery backup

Ø Network Operation Center (NOC) in Dhaka ICT building

Ø Outline of the Project Scope, IP and Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) Architecture

The DSCL was engaged by IIFC (hereunder referred to as the Client) to carry out the preliminary environmental and social baseline report.

Scope of Services included –

§  Collection of necessary information and relevant data for preparing Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) Report

§  Collection of primary data, including extrapolation environmental features on proposed project design, tree inventories, location and measurement of socio-cultural features adjoining the proposed project area.

§  Collection of the secondary data on macro-environmental setting, such as, climate (temperature, rainfall, humidity, & wind speed), physiography, geology etc. from secondary sources.

§  Review of the environmental legislation, regulatory policy & guidelines, and considerations relating to the implementation of the project.

§  Establish the environmental and social baseline conditions of the project.

§  Assessment of the baseline environmental and social condition through field surveys and investigation (survey).

§  Impacts assessment of ecologically sensitive areas (e.g., wildlife sanctuaries, biosphere reserve, and protected places).

§  Assess the existing physical environment, biological environment, and socio-economic environment.

§  Physical environment covered different physical natural features and included major parameters & factors, such as, climate (temperature, rainfall, humidity, wind speed, sunshine, & cloud coverage), ambient air quality, noise level, physiography, topography, geology & hydrology, water resources (surface & ground water), soil quality, agro-ecological zones (soil condition, & floodplain), seismicity, etc.

§  Biological environment covered factors related to life and included major features, such as, bio-ecological zones (major rivers), ecosystem, flora & fauna, protected areas & red book species, etc.

§  Socio-economic environment covered anthropological factors, such as, demography, age, sex/gender, household, nutrition, religion, ethnicity, land use ownership, cropping pattern, occupational pattern, livelihood, income, infrastructure, settlement plan & housing, transport & communication, sources of drinking water, sanitation facility, poverty, health, recreational activities, archaeological & cultural heritage, climate change & natural disaster, environmental & social hotspot, etc.

§  Prepare socio-economic profile and impact on the community.

§  Identification of mitigation measures for minimizing the effect of the negative impacts and enhancement measures for increasing the benefits of the positive impacts.

§  Organize Focus group discussion to explain the local environmental & social conditions and pertinent impacts.

§  FGD and KII was conducted to understand the people’s perception, view, and suggestion on the project.

§  Assessment of environmental, economic, and social benefits that will contribute towards long-term global sustainability.

§  Preparation of the recommendations and conclusions in order to operate the project works in an environmentally safe and sound manner.

§  Assist the Client in coordination and liaison with the DOE to organize presentation and facilitate the process of ESIA approval and thereby issuance of Environmental Clearance Certificate (ECC) for the proposed solar power plant.

§  Preparation of 12 Environmental and Social baseline Report for the Hoar, Island and Beel Areas.