Bangladesh gets Elon Musk's Starlink ahead of India

Dhaka: Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk’s SpaceX-owned satellite internet service Starlink launched in Bangladesh on Tuesday, as the South Asian nation steps up efforts to ensure reliable, uninterrupted access to the internet.

Muhammad Yunus, who has led the government since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled Bangladesh following weeks of violent protest last year, has said the deal provided a service that could not be disrupted by any future political upheaval.

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

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.

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

Nobel peace laureate Yunus took the helm of the interim government in August after Hasina fled to neighbouring India. Authorities had suspended internet and text messaging services as protests spread nationwide last July.

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. ($1=121.0000 taka)