Several Bangladeshi firms have partnered with Starlink, the international satellite internet service owned by billionaire Elon Musk, to support the establishment of ground earth stations in Bangladesh.
The firms have already signed contracts with Starlink for collaboration, while a team from the US telecommunications provider is currently visiting Bangladesh.
The collaboration covers space allocation, construction support, and ongoing infrastructure maintenance.
During the visit, the Starlink team identified several locations of interest. In some cases, Bangladeshi firms are providing support using their own properties, while in others, Starlink is considering the Hitech Park property. Discussions on locations and implementation details are ongoing, said Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, special assistant to Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus.
Taiyeb expressed hope that Starlink would provide reliable, high-speed internet across Bangladesh, including cities, remote areas, northern regions, and coastal zones, free from the disruptions of load shedding or natural disasters.
“It will ensure uninterrupted and high-quality service. Since the coverage of telecom-grade fibre networks in Bangladesh is limited and remote areas still experience load shedding, Starlink will accelerate daily activities and digital economic initiatives for our entrepreneurs, freelancers, NGOs, and SME businesspeople," he said.
"We will continue working to implement a practical model with Starlink in the next 90 days," he added.
Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, in a letter to Musk on 19 February, invited the top US businessman and Chief Executive Officer of SpaceX to visit Bangladesh and launch the Starlink satellite service in the country.
He told Musk that his visit to Bangladesh would allow him to meet young Bangladeshi men and women who stand to benefit most from this cutting-edge technology.
The chief adviser has tasked his high representative, Khalilur Rahman, with coordinating closely with the SpaceX team to ensure that all necessary work is completed within the next ninety working days to make Starlink ready for launch in Bangladesh.
On 13 February, the Chief Adviser held an extensive phone discussion with Musk, the founder of SpaceX, Tesla, and X, to explore future collaboration and advance efforts to introduce Starlink satellite internet service in Bangladesh.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
