Bangladesh at Risk of Bandwidth Shortage: Internet Prices May Rise and Speeds Could Slow Down

Special Correspondent

DHAKA — Bangladesh could soon face a severe bandwidth shortage if the indecision over a new submarine cable connection continues, industry experts have warned. They fear that the country’s internet service prices could rise and speeds could slow down in the coming years if timely action is not taken.

This information came to light at a workshop organized by the Telecom and Technology Reporters Association of Bangladesh (TRNB) at a resort near Dhaka last Monday.

Demand has increased dramatically, supply has lagged behind

According to data presented at the workshop, the country’s international bandwidth usage has increased by about 260 times in the last 13 years. While usage was only 50 Gbps in 2013, it has reached about 13.5 terabits in 2026.

This trend shows no signs of stopping. Forecasts suggest that demand will reach around 19 terabits in 2027, around 27 terabits in 2028, 54 terabits in 2030, and could exceed several hundred terabits by 2035-36. The main reason for this increased demand is the overall digitalization, including video streaming, cloud, AI, online education, digital payments.

Relying on just two cables

Currently, the country’s international connectivity relies mainly on two government-run submarine cables—with a combined capacity of about 7.5 terabits. The rest of the demand is met by importing land-based cables through India. In comparison, India is connected to 19 international submarine cables, Malaysia to 23, Thailand to 12, and the Philippines to 19—so a failure in any one of them puts Bangladesh at great risk.

Even if a third government cable is launched, those concerned believe that it will not be enough in the long term, especially since the service life of an older cable is expected to expire in 2030. According to forecasts, the deficit could reach about 20 terabits by 2028.

Late fee

Experts say that if new submarine cables are allowed to be laid in the private sector quickly, an additional capacity of about 51 terabits could be added, which would increase competition in the market and reduce dependence on India. A top executive of a private submarine cable company told a workshop that the new connections could reduce internet prices by about 50 percent, improve service quality by 25-30 percent, and reduce latency.

But there is also a flip side—experts have warned that if new investment does not come in time, the same shortage could push up internet prices and reduce connection speeds and quality across the country, as supply gradually lags behind demand.

Fear of repeating old mistakes

The speakers said that it takes several years to get a new submarine cable planned and operational. Therefore, if initiatives are taken after a crisis is identified, there may not be enough time to resolve it. They fear that if indecision continues, another strategic mistake, such as missing out on the opportunity to join a major international submarine cable consortium in the past, may be repeated.

The speakers also said that the real competitor to private submarine cables is not any other cable company, but rather the overland bandwidth imports coming through India—and that bringing this diversity is essential for the country’s digital sovereignty and economic security.