Starlink Satellite Internet Launches in Bangladesh, Customer Numbers Still Low

Staff Reporter | PNN

Satellite-based internet service provider Starlink officially launched in Bangladesh five months ago. Currently, however, the company has fewer than 2,000 customers. According to the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), as of September 30, Starlink had 1,862 customers in Bangladesh, including 1,251 residential users.

Owned by Elon Musk, Starlink is one of the world’s leading satellite internet providers. Its arrival in Bangladesh is the result of long-standing efforts. Following last year’s national upheaval and the formation of an interim government, the process accelerated. The Chief Advisor, Professor Muhammad Yunus, directed in March to launch the service within 90 days. Starlink officially started operations in Bangladesh on May 20.

According to Rest of World, a global tech organization, Starlink operates in over 100 countries. Bangladesh is the first country in South Asia to receive official service. The company also operates in over 20 African countries—for example, in Kenya, 17,000 customers were connected over 20 months starting July 2023, and in Nigeria, approximately 59,500 customers joined between January 2023 and March 2025.

Regarding the low customer numbers in Bangladesh, Aminul Hakim, president of the Internet Service Providers Association of Bangladesh (ISPAB), said, “Considering the benefits Starlink provides, the customer base is still very small.”

BTRC reports that Starlink currently has two gateways in Kaliakoir and one each in Jessore and Rajshahi. Additional gateways are planned for Saidpur, Cox’s Bazar, Sylhet, and Comilla. Starlink has acquired 80 Gbps bandwidth from the International Internet Gateway (IIG), of which 30 Gbps is currently used.

However, Starlink’s monitoring tools are not functioning as expected for regulatory compliance. BTRC and the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre (NTMC) are discussing the issue. Starlink has also requested permission to sell bandwidth and offer commercial services to neighboring countries, but current regulations do not allow this.

Starlink has been asked to clarify whether foreign customers or roaming users are using Bangladesh’s ground stations.

Although satellite internet has opened a new chapter in Bangladesh, the true market potential for Starlink will become clear over time.