Bangladesh has approved Starlink's proposal to export unfiltered internet bandwidth to neighbouring countries, marking the first time the government has formally permitted a satellite internet service provider to carry cross-border internet traffic through the country.
The approval allows Starlink to use International Private Leased Circuit (IPLC) connectivity from Bangladesh to provide unfiltered internet bandwidth exclusively to customers outside the country's borders.
Officials said the decision will not affect internet services within Bangladesh and is expected to create new business opportunities for local telecom infrastructure companies while supporting the country's ambition to become a regional digital connectivity hub.
According to official documents, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) granted the approval after receiving clearance from the Posts and Telecommunications Division (PTD).
The regulator sought the ministry's approval following months of technical assessments, regulatory reviews and consultations involving Starlink, the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre (NTMC), Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Limited (BSCCL) and international terrestrial cable (ITC) operators.
Under the arrangement, state-owned BSCCL will remain Starlink's primary bandwidth supplier through an existing three-year IPLC agreement. The PTD said if BSCCL is unable to provide the required capacity, Starlink will be allowed to source bandwidth from Summit Communications Ltd and Fiber@Home Ltd.
Following the government's decision, the BTRC formally notified Starlink through an email sent to Rebecca Hunter, the company's director for global licensing and market activation.
Bangladesh currently receives international internet capacity through two submarine cable systems connected to Singapore and seven international terrestrial cable operators importing bandwidth from India.
Domestic internet traffic passes through government monitoring and filtering systems before reaching internet service providers, mobile operators and enterprise customers.
However, the exported bandwidth approved for Starlink will remain unfiltered, allowing international internet traffic to bypass network controls such as firewalls, deep packet inspection and application-level filtering. Industry experts say this is essential for maintaining the performance and quality of cross-border internet services.
BTRC Chairman Md Emdad ul Bari told Dhaka Tribune the unfiltered bandwidth would not be supplied within Bangladesh.
"The unfiltered bandwidth will not be supplied within the territory of Bangladesh. It will go to other countries," he said.
To safeguard domestic internet traffic, the BTRC imposed strict regulatory conditions on Starlink. The company has been instructed to establish complete technical separation between domestic and international traffic to ensure that no customer located in Bangladesh, including foreign visitors, can access the exported unfiltered bandwidth.
The regulator also directed Starlink to submit detailed network architecture, deploy real-time monitoring systems and provide verification mechanisms enabling authorities to confirm that only international traffic is being carried.
In response, Starlink informed regulators that internet traffic for foreign customers would travel between its point of presence (PoP) in Bangladesh and overseas facilities in Singapore and Oman through IPLC connections without carrying any traffic belonging to Bangladeshi users.
The company also submitted updated network diagrams, compliance documents and an application programming interface (API) allowing regulators to access information related to Bangladeshi subscribers.
The proposal underwent extensive technical and regulatory scrutiny before receiving final approval. A high-level meeting held on December 15, 2025, brought together officials from the BTRC, NTMC, Starlink and other government agencies.
Participants reviewed Starlink's monitoring, reporting and inspection mechanisms at its Kaliakoir point of presence before concluding that the proposed arrangements met Bangladesh's regulatory and security requirements.
Industry stakeholders believe the approval could generate new export revenue for Bangladesh's telecommunications sector.
Bangladesh Satellite Company Limited (BSCL) Managing Director and CEO Dr Imadur Rahman told Dhaka Tribune the initiative would have no adverse impact on domestic internet quality or bandwidth availability.
He said Bangladesh's existing satellite, submarine cable and international terrestrial cable infrastructure has sufficient capacity to meet local demand while supporting international bandwidth exports.
Talking to Media, Technology analyst Sumon Ahmed Sabir also welcomed the move, saying neighbouring countries such as Nepal and Bhutan require unfiltered international connectivity to ensure reliable internet services.
According to him, the decision creates an opportunity for Bangladesh to emerge as a regional digital connectivity hub while enabling local submarine cable and ITC operators to expand into regional markets and earn foreign currency.
Earlier, Starlink received its BTRC licence on April 29, 2025, to provide non-geostationary satellite orbit (NGSO) services in Bangladesh.
The company launched commercial services in May and officially began operations on August 8. It currently procures around 80Gbps of bandwidth from two international internet gateway operators for its domestic operations.
Although Bangladesh has previously exported limited volumes of unfiltered bandwidth to India's Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), regulators said this is the first time such approval has been granted to a satellite internet operator.
Officials believe the decision will strengthen Bangladesh's telecom export sector, attract regional connectivity business and reinforce the country's position as an emerging gateway for international internet traffic while maintaining regulatory oversight of domestic internet services.