US-based Starlink’s internet operation in Bangladesh as a non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) service provider was approved today by Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus, according to his office.
“He approved the (Starlink) license on Monday today,” the press wing of chief adviser’s office said in a statement.
According to the report, Starlink submitted an application for operational approval along with the necessary fees and documentation after the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) released licensing criteria for NGSO Satellite Services Operators in Bangladesh on March 25.
At its 294th meeting on April 21, the commission made the preliminary decision to approve the Starlink operation.
“Starlink is a new addition to Bangladesh’s internet arena. (With CA’s approval) This global satellite internet service provider has launched its journey in Bangladesh, the second country in South Asia after Sri Lanka,” the statement said.
Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser for Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, meanwhile, said bringing Starlink to Bangladesh had become a popular demand during the July uprising, when the autocrat Sheikh Hasina’s government repeatedly shut down internet services.
He said that the approval carried a strong message that the chief adviser intended Bangladesh is becoming more investment-friendly.
“One of the primary goals (of the Starlink operation) is to ensure uninterrupted, high-quality internet services in hard-to-reach regions such as haor areas, islands, remote hilly regions, and disaster-prone coastal zones where fiber-optic connectivity is still absent,” Taiyeb said.
He said that the chief adviser personally called SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and urged him to begin Starlink operations in Bangladesh within 90 days.
“BIDA, BTRC, the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, and the Chief Adviser Office have since worked closely to make this possible” the special assistant to the chief adviser said.
Taiyeb said that Starlink would provide uninterrupted high-speed internet, unaffected by load shedding, unlike traditional ISPs or mobile networks where power outages often cause disruptions.
“Even during prolonged blackouts, when mobile tower batteries fail, Starlink’s satellite-based service will remain operational, he added.
According to him, mobile network coverage and capacity, particularly along highways, remained issues, and over 65% of telecom towers were still not connected to fiber networks and instead relied on microwave links with limited capacity.
According to Taiyeb, Starlink’s services should fill these important gaps, and its arrival would increase competition in Bangladesh’s internet and mobile sectors.
“With Starlink’s services, we expect the beginning of a new era of deregulation in the communications industry, increased competition, and guaranteed access to uninterrupted, high-speed internet in both urban and rural areas,” Taiyeb said.
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