Bangladesh News Bangladesh Economy & Development

[Isa Khan]

Starlink has officially started its operations in Bangladesh.

The announcement was made on Tuesday in a Facebook post by Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, special assistant to the chief adviser.

“On Monday afternoon, they informed me over a phone call and today (Tuesday) they confirmed the matter this morning on their X handle,” he said.

“Initially, Starlink is launching with two packages – Starlink Residence and Residence Lite. The monthly cost is Tk6,000 for one and Tk4,200 for the other. A one-time cost of Tk47,000 will be required for setup equipment,” he added.

Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb also said there will be no speed or data limits. Individuals will be able to use unlimited data at speeds of up to 300 Mbps. Customers in Bangladesh can start placing orders from Tuesday.

“With this, sir’s (CA's) expectation of launching within 90 days has been fulfilled,” he said.

He went on to say: “Although expensive, this creates a sustainable alternative for premium customers to access high-quality and high-speed internet services.”

“In addition, companies will have opportunities to expand their business into areas where fibre or high-speed internet services are yet to reach. NGOs, freelancers, and entrepreneurs will benefit from uninterrupted, high-speed internet throughout the year,” said the Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser.

The interim government has authorised Starlink, a Non-Geostationary Orbit (NGSO) satellite internet provider owned by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, to offer its services in the country.

https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/381718/starlink-officially-begins-operations-in

 

[Isa Khan]

In a first in the country, a monorail will be constructed in Chattogram, spanning around 54 kilometres within the city.

Today (1 June), a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed for the project, worth Tk20,000-25,000 crore.

As the chief guest at the signing event, Chattogram City Corporation Mayor Shahadat Hossain said the entire financing for the project will be provided by foreign investment companies—Orascom Construction and Arab Contractors.

"The city corporation will not have any financial responsibility for the investment, other than providing necessary logistical support and land."

The mayor articulated his hope that, upon implementation, the monorail will effect a groundbreaking change in the public transit sector of the port city.

He said the monorail will not only help alleviate traffic congestion, but will also help transform Chattogram into an eco-friendly, tourism- and business-friendly city. "The monorail will serve as a modern bridge linking to South Asia."

The mayor also announced plans to restructure Chattogram into a "one city, two towns" model, and said, "We want to harness Chattogram's potential as a tourist destination, and the monorail project will significantly contribute to achieving that goal."

Kawsar Ahmed Chowdhury, chief representative of Orascom Construction-Arab Contractors Consortium, presented the financing, technology and implementation framework of the monorail project.

The project will be implemented under a public-private partnership (PPP) model, and investment will come through NAS Investment and the National Bank of Egypt, he said.

The three possible routes of the project are— Line-1 spanning 26.5 km from Kalurghat to the airport via Bahaddarhat, Chawkbazar, Lalkhan Bazar, Dewanhat and Patenga; Line-2 spanning 13.5 km from city gate to Shaheed Bashiruzzaman Square via AK Khan, Nimtali, Sadarghat and Firingi Bazar, and Line-3 covering 14.5 km from Oxygen Square to Firingi Bazar via Muradpur, Panchlaish, Anderkilla and Kotwali.

CCC Chief Executive Officer Sheikh Muhammad Towhidul Islam, Chief Revenue Officer Sarwar Kamal, and Greater Chittagong Economic Forum Member Secretary Nazir Shahin, among others, were present at the signing event.

Ctg to be gateway to South Asia, says mayor, as MoU signed for monorail

The project will be implemented under a public-private partnership (PPP) model, and investment will come through NAS Investment and the National Bank of Egypt

www.tbsnews.net

 

[Isa Khan]

European aircraft manufacturer Airbus and British aviation giant Menzies Aviation yesterday expressed their interest in establishing a long-term partnership with Bangladesh.

The two companies presented their offers during separate meetings with Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus at his hotel in London, according to a statement from the chief adviser's press wing.

"We have identified Bangladesh as a key priority country," said Airbus Executive Vice President Wouter van Wersch, adding that the company was keen to form a partnership with Bangladesh's national carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines and help make it profitable.

Van Wersch noted that Airbus, which supplies 800 aircraft annually, also possesses expertise in manufacturing helicopters and fighter jets.

The chief adviser said Bangladesh was open to proposals for modernising Biman's fleet but cautioned that any decision would take time.

"I am very eager to understand what can be done, what should be done. So, we will listen to you. But don't expect any decision soon. We have to look at everything in a very fresh way," he said.

Van Wersch said if Bangladesh opted to add Airbus aircraft to the Biman fleet, 85 percent of the funding could be arranged through Export Credit Agency (ECA) financing.

London-based Menzies Aviation expressed its willingness to compete with others to provide ground handling and air cargo services at the third terminal of Dhaka's Shahjalal International Airport, leveraging its experience at over 300 airports in at least 65 countries.

"We would like to support Bangladeshi airports besides your national carrier," Menzies Executive Vice President Charles Wyley told Yunus.

Wyley added that the company would turn Dhaka into a training hub for a segment of its 65,000 global employees if awarded the ground handling contract.

"We are a proven British company, and we would like to offer our support," said Wyley.

Airbus, Menzies Aviation keen to forge long-term partnership with Bangladesh

European aircraft manufacturer Airbus and British aviation giant Menzies Aviation yesterday expressed their interest in establishing a long-term partnership with Bangladesh..The two companies presented their offers during separate meetings with Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus at his hotel in

www.thedailystar.net

 

[Isa Khan]

RANCON Auto Industries Ltd has officially launched the Bangladesh-manufactured Mitsubishi Xpander, a seven-seater family SUV powered by a 1.5-litre MIVEC engine.

The launch marks a significant milestone in Bangladesh's automotive industry, combining renowned Japanese engineering with local manufacturing capabilities.

The launch event was held at RANCON Industrial Park and attended by His Excellency SAIDA Shinichi, Ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh, as chief guest. Also present were Romo Rouf Chowdhury, Group Managing Director of RANCON Holdings, and Farhana Karim, Managing Director of RANCON Auto Industries. Senior officials from Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC), along with dignitaries from both public and private sectors, joined the celebration.

In a special video message, Takao Kato, CEO of Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, said, "This is just the beginning of a promising journey. The Xpander has seen strong demand across ASEAN markets, and with RANCON, we look forward to building a future of excellence and reliability in Bangladesh."

Yutaka Yano, Division General Manager of MMC, praised the manufacturing standards maintained at RANCON. "From paint to final assembly, every step is aligned with Mitsubishi's global benchmarks," he said.

RANCON's 52-acre industrial park manufactures for several global brands, including Mitsubishi, Mercedes-Benz, Suzuki, Proton, JAC, LG and Toshiba—demonstrating the Group's expanding industrial footprint.

In his keynote, Romo Rouf Chowdhury highlighted the company's journey and its future ambitions. "With over 50 years as Mitsubishi's official distributor in Bangladesh, we've now developed a world-class facility that enables local production at global quality," he said. "The locally assembled Xpander includes a five-year warranty, two years of servicing, and 11 after-sales service centres nationwide."

Japanese Ambassador SAIDA Shinichi termed the launch a symbol of deepening strategic and technical cooperation between Bangladesh and Japan. "This is more than an industrial achievement—it reflects the strength of our bilateral friendship," he said.

Local celebrities, including actor Siam Ahmed, the official brand ambassador of Mitsubishi Motors Bangladesh, hosted the star-studded launch event.

Rancon motors launches Bangladeshi-manufactured mitsubishi xpander

RANCON Auto Industries Ltd has officially launched the Bangladesh-manufactured Mitsubishi Xpander, a seven-seater family SUV powered by a 1.5-litre MIVEC engine. The launch marks a significant milestone in Bangladesh's automotive industry, combining renowned Japanese engineering with local...

www.tbsnews.net