Govt allows Starlink to export unfiltered internet bandwidth to neighbouring countries

Highlights:

• Bangladesh approves Starlink to export unfiltered internet bandwidth
• Starlink gets nod to provide unfiltered IP Transit to neighbouring countries
• Move marks Bangladesh's first formal step towards internet bandwidth exports
• Government eyes new revenue stream from Starlink's cross-border services
• BTRC says approval could help position Bangladesh as a regional internet transit hub
• Starlink to source bandwidth from Bangladesh Submarine Cables, with private firms as backup
• Unfiltered bandwidth restricted to overseas users, domestic internet filtering unchanged
• Starlink to halve bandwidth purchases from Bangladesh Submarine Cables from 31 July

The government has approved US satellite internet provider Starlink to export unfiltered IP Transit services to neighbouring countries, marking the country's first formal step towards exporting internet bandwidth and positioning itself as a potential regional internet transit hub.

The approval was granted recently by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission following authorisation from the posts, telecommunications and information technology ministry in April.

Under the approval, Starlink will be permitted to provide unfiltered IP Transit services exclusively to customers in neighbouring countries. The unfiltered bandwidth cannot be used within Bangladesh and will remain subject to the country's existing internet filtering regime for domestic users.

Brigadier General (retd) Iqbal Ahmed, commissioner for engineering and operations at the BTRC, told The Business Standard that the regulator had been working on the policy long before receiving Starlink's application. Following a detailed assessment, the proposal was submitted to the ministry in February this year before receiving final government approval.

He said if Starlink exports unfiltered internet bandwidth from Bangladesh, it will pay the government a fixed commission, creating a new source of state revenue.

Iqbal said the decision could also help position Bangladesh as a regional internet and data transit hub, while allowing local internet service providers to participate in cross-border data transmission and earn foreign currency.

Bandwidth sourcing

According to the ministry's approval letter, Starlink will initially obtain bandwidth under its existing agreement with the state-owned Bangladesh Submarine Cables PLC.

However, the letter states that if Bangladesh Submarine Cables is unable to supply the required capacity, Starlink may also procure bandwidth from Summit Communications Limited and Fiber@Home Limited.

The approval effectively opens a new avenue for Bangladesh to export internet services by leveraging its existing domestic telecommunications infrastructure.

Bandwidth purchases cut

Despite receiving approval to export internet bandwidth, Starlink is reducing the amount of bandwidth it purchases from Bangladesh Submarine Cables.

According to sources at the state-owned company, Starlink currently purchases 200 Gbps of internet bandwidth but has notified the company that it will disconnect one 100 Gbps IPLC circuit from 31 July, reducing its total purchase by half.

Officials said that exporting internet services through existing government-owned infrastructure could create a new source of foreign exchange earnings by supplying unfiltered bandwidth to overseas customers.

Operations in Bangladesh

Starlink received its licence from the BTRC on 29 April 2025 to provide non-geostationary satellite orbit services in Bangladesh and began commercial operations on 8 August that year.

The company has established earth stations in Kaliakair, Jashore and Rajshahi, as well as one point of presence (PoP) in Kaliakair. The PoP currently receives a total of 80 Gbps of bandwidth from two International Internet Gateway (IIG) operators.

According to information submitted by Starlink in January 2026, the company currently serves 3,931 customers in Bangladesh.

Application process

After commencing operations, Starlink applied to the BTRC on 13 August for permission to provide unfiltered IP Transit services. The regulator subsequently sought additional information about the proposal.

In its response dated 27 August, Starlink said the service would be used exclusively to provide connectivity to customers in neighbouring countries and would not be offered to users within Bangladesh.

The BTRC noted that there is precedent for such arrangements. According to one of the regulator's letters, Bangladesh Submarine Cables supplied between 10 Gbps and 20 Gbps of unfiltered IP Transit bandwidth to India's state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited under agreements between 2020 and 2025.

However, according to media reports, Bharat Sanchar Nigam disconnected its remaining bandwidth links through Bangladesh in October last year.