Amid India-Pak Tension, Bangladesh Gets Elon Musk's Starlink

Tech billionaire Elon Musk's SpaceX-owned Starlink has started offering satellite internet service in Bangladesh. Confirming the launch, Starlink said that its services are now available across the entire region of the South Asian nation. With this, Bangladesh became India's second neighbour after Bhutan to access Starlink's technology.

"Starlink's high-speed, low-latency internet is now available in Bangladesh," the company posted on X.

Bangladesh's Chief Adviser, Muhammad Yunus-- who has led the country since former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ouster following weeks of violent protest last year-- has said the deal provided a service that could not be disrupted by any future political upheaval.

During the students' protest against the Hasina government in July last year, authorities had suspended internet and text messaging services.

"This has created a sustainable alternative for premium customers to get high-quality and high-speed internet services," he wrote in a Facebook post.

Yunus first approached Musk in February this year with an invitation to visit Bangladesh and launch the Starlink satellite service there. In a letter written to Musk, the Nobel peace laureate said integrating Starlink's connectivity into the country's infrastructure would have a transformational impact on its youth and women. 

He also asked his administration to coordinate closely with the SpaceX team to ensure completion of the necessary work to make Starlink ready for launch in Bangladesh within the "next ninety working days" from then.

How Much Will The Service Cost

Monthly packages start at 4,200 taka ($35) for the service now available nationwide, said Yunus aide Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, with a one-time payment of 47,000 taka required for setup equipment. In Indian rupees, the amount is nearly Rs 2,990 per month for the service.

Starlink has expanded rapidly worldwide to operate in more than 70 countries, with a strong focus on further growth in emerging markets such as India, where the company is looking to clear the final regulatory hurdle for beginning satcom services.

Meanwhile, the Indian government has started the process of allotting spectrum to satcom companies, which include satcom JVs and investments of local Reliance Jio and Airtel. Neighbouring Pakistan has also granted a temporary license to Musk's company. 

But the service started in Bangladesh before India and Pakistan, while the two nuclear-powered countries were engaged in military and diplomatic tensions.