Starlink, a Non-Geostationary Orbit (NGSO) satellite internet provider owned by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, has officially started its operations in Bangladesh.
The announcement was made on Tuesday (20 May) in a Facebook post by Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser.
“On Monday (19 May) afternoon, they informed me over a phone call and confirmed the matter this morning on their X handle,” he said.
“Initially, Starlink is launching with two packages – Starlink Residence and Residence Lite. The monthly cost is Tk 6,000 for one and Tk 4,200 for the other. A one-time cost of Tk 47,000 will be required for setup equipment,” he added.
Faiz Ahmad also said there will be no speed or data limits. Individuals will be able to use unlimited data at speeds of up to 300 Mbps. Customers in Bangladesh can start placing orders from today.
“With this, Sir’s (CA's) expectation of launching within 90 days has been fulfilled,” he said.
He went on to say, “Although expensive, this creates a sustainable alternative for premium customers to access high-quality and high-speed internet services.”
“In addition, companies will have opportunities to expand their business into areas where fibre or high-speed internet services are yet to reach. NGOs, freelancers, and entrepreneurs will benefit from uninterrupted, high-speed internet throughout the year,” said the Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser.
BTRC issues licenses to Starlink to operate in Bangladesh
The Chief Adviser on Tuesday congratulated all involved as Starlink officially started its operations in Bangladesh, says his Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder.
Prof Yunus on February 14 held an extensive video discussion with Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX, and owner of Tesla and X, to explore future collaboration and to make further progress to introduce Starlink satellite internet service in Bangladesh.
On April 28, Chief Adviser Prof Yunus officially approved the license for Starlink to begin operations in Bangladesh, marking a significant step towards improving connectivity, especially in remote and underserved areas.
On April 7, Starlink applied to the BTRC for a licence to operate in the country under the regulatory framework titled ‘Guidelines for Non-Geostationary Orbit (NGSO) Satellite Services Operators in Bangladesh’.
CA Prof Yunus approves Starlink’s license to operate in Bangladesh
On March 25, Prof Yunus directed the relevant authorities to ensure the commercial launch of Starlink’s satellite broadband internet service in Bangladesh within 90 days.
In accordance with this guideline, Starlink submitted a formal application along with the applicable fees and required documents.
A decision to issue the license was taken in principle during a meeting of the commission on April 21.
Starlink becomes a new addition to Bangladesh’s internet landscape, marking the country as the second in South Asia—after Sri Lanka—to host services from the global satellite internet provider.