Could Starlink Solve the Connectivity Challenges in Bangladesh?

Recently, I went on a business trip to Cox's Bazar, where I had to attend several meetings virtually. Unfortunately, I could not complete any of those meetings due to weak internet connectivity there.

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A few months earlier, I was visiting the Sundarbans area where I wanted to connect with friends and family, but there was no connection.

In Bangladesh, while urban regions enjoy relatively good internet and mobile network coverage, vast parts of the country, especially in rural, hilly and coastal areas, struggle with limited or no connectivity, with some places still relying on 2G networks only.

The prohibitive cost and complexity of building mobile phone towers and other infrastructure in sparsely populated regions make it difficult to improve coverage in these areas. According to the preliminary report of the Population and Housing Census 2022, approximately 6.5 crore people aged 18 and above in Bangladesh do not have internet access. This indicates a significant digital divide in the country.