The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has officially granted a license to Starlink Services Bangladesh Limited, enabling the company to provide internet services via Non-Geostationary Orbit (NGSO) satellites.
The license, issued for a period of 10 years, was handed over during a ceremony at the BTRC building in Agargaon, Dhaka, on Tuesday. Starlink received two separate licenses-the Non-Geostationary Satellite Orbit Operator License and the Radio Communication Operators License.
Rebecca Slick Hunter, Director of Starlink Global Licensing and Market Aviation, accepted the licenses on behalf of Starlink, alongside BTRC officials who attended the event.
With this move, Starlink becomes the newest addition to Bangladesh's internet landscape, marking its entry as the second South Asian country to adopt the global satellite internet service, following Sri Lanka.
According to BTRC, the licenses were issued with prior government approval. The first license, transferred from BTRC's Licensing Division, allows Starlink to conduct commercial activities in Bangladesh. The second, issued by BTRC's Spectrum Division, enables Starlink to utilize approved frequency bands for internet service delivery, as well as import and deploy wireless devices and accessories.
Speaking on Monday following the license issuance, Faiz Ahmed Taiyeb, Special Assistant to the Chief Advisor for Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology, highlighted the challenges of providing uninterrupted, high-quality internet in remote areas such as haor and baor islands, mountainous regions, and disaster-prone coastal areas.
"In an effort to ensure fast and reliable internet access in areas where fiber connectivity remains unavailable, the Chief Advisor personally reached out to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, urging him to initiate Starlink operations in Bangladesh within 90 days. Agencies including BIDA, BTRC, the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology, and the Office of the Chief Advisor have worked closely to make this happen," he stated.
Taiyeb further noted the limitations of Bangladesh's fiber network. A significant portion of the network lacks Telco-grade standards, and approximately 65 per cent of telecommunications towers still rely on microwave transmission, which offers limited capacity. Additionally, mobile network coverage and highway mobility remain inconsistent. Starlink's satellite-based technology is expected to resolve these issues.
He added that Starlink's entry would make Bangladesh's mobile and broadband internet market more competitive, shifting the traditional telecom structure from voice call and data bundle-based services to a new, digital service-centric model.
