Starlink Internet Makes Waves in Bangladesh: Users Test Speeds at Investment Summit

 Starlink Internet Makes Waves in Bangladesh: Users Test Speeds at Investment Summit

Dhaka, Bangladesh – April 2025 – The Bangladesh Investment Summit 2025 turned into a tech showcase when SpaceX’s revolutionary satellite internet service, Starlink, made its much-anticipated debut in the country. As the world increasingly turns to satellite-based internet for connectivity in remote and underserved regions, Starlink’s live demonstration during the event allowed users to test its internet speed and experience firsthand what the future of broadband might look like for Bangladesh.

This article explores the significance of Starlink's launch in Bangladesh, user experiences during the summit, and what this could mean for the nation’s digital future.

A New Era of Connectivity in Bangladesh

Bangladesh, a nation rapidly digitizing across sectors, still faces considerable challenges in delivering high-speed, reliable internet to all corners of the country. While urban hubs like Dhaka and Chittagong enjoy relatively better access, rural and remote areas continue to lag behind due to infrastructural and geographical constraints.

The introduction of Starlink is seen as a potential game-changer. Using a constellation of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, Starlink aims to deliver high-speed internet anywhere on the planet — regardless of terrain or local infrastructure. For a country like Bangladesh, where 60% of the population lives in rural areas, this could be transformational.

What is Starlink?

Starlink is a project developed by SpaceX, the private aerospace company founded by Elon Musk. It operates by beaming internet signals from a network of satellites orbiting the Earth at around 550 kilometers — much lower than traditional satellites. This proximity allows for lower latency and faster speeds, which are critical for real-time activities like video calls, online gaming, and telehealth services.

By early 2025, Starlink had deployed over 5,000 satellites globally, with services available in more than 60 countries. The Bangladesh Investment Summit marked the country’s first public test of the technology, drawing attention from both policymakers and tech enthusiasts alike.

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The Starlink Showcase at the Summit

The Bangladesh Investment Summit, held at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center, was filled with innovators, investors, and government officials. Among all the exhibits, Starlink’s demo booth quickly became the most crowded. Visitors had the opportunity to run speed tests, experience live video calls using Starlink, and even game online — all powered through satellite internet.

SpaceX representatives, along with local tech partners, provided technical explanations and oversaw the demonstrations. Multiple Starlink terminals were installed both indoors and outside to showcase performance across varying conditions.

Each terminal, equipped with a satellite dish and a Wi-Fi router, connected to the Starlink satellite network and delivered high-speed broadband internet without relying on any traditional local infrastructure.

User Speed Test Results and Reactions

Speed and Performance

Attendees were allowed to conduct real-time speed tests using tools like Ookla’s Speedtest.net and Fast.com. The results impressed many:

Download Speeds: Ranged from 150 Mbps to 230 Mbps.

Upload Speeds: Averaged between 20 Mbps and 40 Mbps.

Latency: A low 30–50 ms, ideal for real-time applications like Zoom or Microsoft Teams.

For context, most home broadband services in Bangladesh — particularly in non-urban areas — average 20–50 Mbps download and much lower upload speeds, often with higher latency. This massive improvement stunned users, especially those from rural areas where reliable internet is a luxury.

Public Reactions

Many summit attendees shared their excitement on social media:

“I just tested Starlink internet at the Bangladesh Investment Summit. 200+ Mbps with almost no lag. Imagine this in the villages!” — @techmanrahim

“Video conferencing was crystal clear, no buffering. We need this in education and telemedicine!” — @doctechbd

Some users were skeptical at first, questioning whether satellite-based internet could match fiber-optic reliability. But after the hands-on experience, even many skeptics were left impressed.

Why Bangladesh Needs Starlink

Bangladesh has made commendable progress in digital development, but challenges persist:

1. Rural-Urban Divide

The digital gap between urban and rural areas is stark. While cities enjoy fiber connections, most rural communities rely on 3G/4G services, often plagued by network congestion and unstable speeds.

Starlink offers direct-to-user service, bypassing the need for ground infrastructure — a huge advantage in remote or disaster-prone regions.

2. Disaster Resilience

In a country highly vulnerable to floods and cyclones, ground infrastructure like fiber-optic lines and cell towers are often disrupted. Starlink, operating from space, remains unaffected by ground-level damage, ensuring continued connectivity during emergencies.

3. Support for Emerging Sectors

High-speed internet access is critical for sectors such as:

Remote Education: Enabling virtual classrooms in remote villages.

Telemedicine: Allowing rural patients to consult with city doctors.

E-commerce and Freelancing: Connecting local entrepreneurs to global markets.

Smart Agriculture: Supporting real-time weather data and IoT tools for farmers.

Challenges Ahead

Despite the excitement, Starlink’s rollout in Bangladesh faces a few hurdles:

1. Cost

Currently, the Starlink hardware kit costs approximately $500 USD, with a monthly subscription fee of $99 USD in many markets. These prices are steep for most Bangladeshi users. There is hope that local partnerships or government subsidies might reduce costs.

2. Regulatory Approvals

As of now, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has not issued full commercial licensing for Starlink. However, the success of the demo has accelerated discussions.

A BTRC official at the summit mentioned:

“We are in active conversations with Starlink and assessing the necessary compliance frameworks. Our goal is to ensure that such technologies benefit citizens while maintaining national security and connectivity standards.”

3. Weather Dependency

Satellite internet can experience disruptions due to heavy rainfall or cloudy weather — a common occurrence in Bangladesh. However, initial tests during light rain showed minimal performance dips.

Partnership Potential and Local Integration

Several local ISPs, telecom operators, and government agencies expressed interest in collaborating with Starlink. Instead of replacing existing infrastructure, the satellite network could work alongside mobile networks and fiber-optic systems to ensure blanket coverage.

For example:

Educational institutions in hard-to-reach areas could be outfitted with Starlink terminals.

Emergency services and NGOs could use Starlink for reliable communication in disaster zones.

Border regions and coastal areas — often left out of mainstream connectivity plans — could benefit from satellite coverage.

The Road Ahead

With global demand for Starlink soaring, Bangladesh’s inclusion in the service map is seen as a major development. Analysts believe that Starlink’s presence could:

Accelerate digital transformation in rural areas.

Attract foreign tech investments.

Reduce dependence on monopolized telecom infrastructure.

Enable smoother delivery of government e-services.

Musk has previously tweeted about his interest in expanding Starlink to underserved regions in South Asia. If the regulatory environment is supportive, Bangladesh could become a key market in the region.

Conclusion

The Starlink speed test demonstration at the Bangladesh Investment Summit 2025 has ignited fresh optimism in the country’s tech circles. For a nation striving to become “Smart Bangladesh” by 2041, universal access to fast, stable internet is non-negotiable — and satellite internet may be the missing piece in the puzzle.

While challenges around cost and licensing remain, the summit showcased not just a product, but a vision: a future where every Bangladeshi — from a Dhaka-based entrepreneur to a farmer in Rangpur — can be digitally connected to the world.

As policymakers, tech innovators, and users look forward to the official launch, one thing is clear: Starlink has officially landed in Bangladesh — and the country is ready for takeoff.