Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus has approved the licence for Starlink to operate in Bangladesh today.

Bangladesh is the second country in South Asia, after Sri Lanka, to welcome the global satellite internet service provider.

The chief adviser's special assistant on posts, telecommunications and information technology, Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, said Starlink's entry into Bangladesh had been a mass demand, especially following the "repeated internet shutdowns by the autocratic Sheikh Hasina government during the July uprising."

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"The chief adviser also aimed to send a message that Bangladesh is an investment-friendly destination," he said, adding that there is a pressing challenge to deliver uninterrupted and quality internet services to remote haor areas, islands, inaccessible hilly regions, and particularly disaster-prone coastal areas.

"In many such regions where fiber optic connectivity is yet to reach, there is a growing demand for fast and reliable internet services," he said.

Taiyeb explained that one of Starlink's primary services is providing uninterrupted high-speed internet, ensuring that internet connectivity will not go down immediately with load-shedding, as is often the case with ISPs.

"In situations of prolonged load-shedding, when mobile tower batteries run out, mobile internet also gets disrupted. Such issues will not occur with Starlink," he said.

He also pointed out that fiber network expansion in Bangladesh remains limited, and a significant portion of the existing fiber network is not telecom-grade.

"At least 65 percent of telecom towers in Bangladesh are still not fiberised and rely on microwave links with very limited capacity. Additionally, mobile network coverage and capacity, particularly highway mobility coverage, have major shortcomings. Starlink will help address these problems," he added.

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He noted that Starlink's entry will make Bangladesh's mobile and broadband internet markets more competitive. "As a result, the traditional voice call and data bundle-based service model will undergo a transformation toward digital service-centered models."

He also said Starlink's services will initiate deregulation in the communications industry.

Earlier on March 25, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) issued the "Licensing Guidelines for Non-Geostationary Orbit (NGSO) Satellite Services Operator in Bangladesh".

Under these guidelines, Starlink Services Bangladesh applied to BTRC for an NGSO Satellite Services Operator License, submitting the applicable fees and necessary documents.

In its 294th commission meeting held on April 21, BTRC made a policy decision in favour of issuing the license to Starlink.