Starlink Seeks to Provide Internet Services to Neighboring Countries Using Bandwidth from Bangladesh

U.S.-based satellite internet provider Starlink has expressed interest in supplying internet services to neighboring countries using bandwidth sourced from Bangladesh. The company submitted a letter to the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) regarding this proposal.

The letter, sent on August 13, states that Starlink considers Bangladesh a “Point of Presence” (PoP) and intends to use it as a hub to serve surrounding PoPs and countries. To facilitate this, the company requested approval to use commercial International Private Leased Circuits (IPLCs) and unfiltered IP (unrestricted internet connections).

Starlink began commercial operations in Bangladesh in May. In the region, the service is already active in Sri Lanka and Bhutan, while India and Nepal are awaiting service availability.

Currently, Bangladesh’s internet services rely on submarine cables, which deliver bandwidth via underwater cables to mobile network operators and internet service providers (ISPs). Starlink, on the other hand, provides internet via satellites. According to SpaceX, Starlink’s parent company, its internet service is delivered from geostationary satellites orbiting at an altitude of 35,786 kilometers. Starlink’s constellation includes thousands of satellites in low-Earth orbit, offering high-speed internet worldwide.

In its letter to the BTRC, Starlink mentioned plans to connect its Bangladesh PoP with its PoPs in Singapore and Oman using IPLCs. Each Starlink PoP is interconnected with at least two other PoPs, and these IPLCs would allow unfiltered IP transit, unrelated to Bangladesh’s local internet traffic. Starlink has stated it will comply with all local regulations for Bangladesh.

The letter also emphasized that these IPLC connections will not affect Bangladesh’s internal networks. All Bangladeshi users will continue to route through local international internet gateways (IIGs) and IP transit. As a result, domestic internet operations will remain subject to local laws, security requirements, and content regulations.

Starlink indicated that unfiltered IP will be sourced from Bangladesh-based licensed companies Fiber@Home and Summit Communications, both of which hold International Terrestrial Cable (ITC) and IIG licenses.

BTRC Chairman Major General (Ret.) Md. Emdad Ul Bari told Prothom Alo that the proposal is being viewed as a matter of bandwidth export, not transit. Bangladesh has previously exported bandwidth—for instance, to India’s Tripura state—without affecting local connections. He added that if Starlink moves forward with exporting bandwidth, BTRC would first review the technical aspects and consult with the government. Regular discussions with Starlink are ongoing, but no decisions have been made yet.

Industry sources note that Starlink currently sources bandwidth for Bhutan from Singapore. Longer-distance connections can reduce quality and increase costs, making Bangladesh a more convenient hub for nearby countries like Bhutan and Nepal.

Bangladesh now hosts four Starlink ground stations: two in Gazipur and one each in Rajshahi and Jessore. The country’s current bandwidth demand is approximately 9 terabytes, with two submarine cables supplying around 7 terabytes. The remainder comes via India through ITC connections.

Aminul Hakim, President of the Internet Service Providers Association of Bangladesh (ISPAB), said that Bangladesh’s current internet demand and infrastructure capacity must be considered before exporting bandwidth to Starlink. If additional bandwidth needs to be supplied via India’s ITC, costs would increase. Using surplus capacity from Bangladesh’s submarine cables could be more efficient, but the country’s ability to do so remains a key question.