‘Bangladesh to secure Starlink internet deal within three months’

DHAKA: Bangladesh’s interim leader said on Tuesday a commercial deal with Elon Musk’s SpaceX-owned satellite internet network Starlink is expected to be reached within three months to provide internet services across the South Asian country.

Muhammad Yunus, who has led Bangladesh’s government since the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last year, has said the deal would provide a reliable internet service that could not be disrupted by any future political upheaval.

“If Starlink is launched, no government will have the ability to shut down internet access or lock citizens out of the digital world,” Yunus said in a televised speech to the nation ahead of Independence Day.

Yunus said inflation was the government’s biggest challenge. Inflation had fallen to 9.32% in February, the lowest level in 22 months, he said, and he hoped it would drop below 8% by June.

He reiterated that a national election will be held between December this year and June 2026.

“Our goal is to ensure that the upcoming election is the most free, fair, and acceptable in the history of Bangladesh,” Yunus said.