Bangladesh eSIM Guide

Before You Travel

1. Check your phone supports eSIM (iPhone XS/XR or newer, recent Samsung/Google phones)
2. Ensure your phone is unlocked
3. Purchase your Bangladesh eSIM plan
4. Find a stable WiFi connection for installation

Installation Steps

1. Receive QR Code: Get your QR code via email after purchase
2. Open Settings: Go to Settings → Cellular/Mobile Data
3. Add eSIM: Select "Add Cellular Plan" or "Add Data Plan"
4. Scan QR: Use your camera to scan the QR code
5. Label Your eSIM: Name it "Bangladesh" for easy identification
6. Set Preferences: Choose which line for calls, messages, and data

Coverage by Region

Tourist Hotspot Coverage

• ✅ Old Dhaka: Excellent 4G coverage
• ✅ Cox's Bazar Beach: Full 4G along the beach
• ✅ Sundarbans: Basic coverage in gateway towns
• ✅ Srimangal Tea Gardens: Good 4G coverage
• ⚠️ Saint Martin Island: Limited coverage, and access is now restricted by the Environment Ministry (see Attractions)
• ⚠️ Remote rural areas: Variable coverage

eSIM Not Connecting?

• 1. Turn on airplane mode for 30 seconds, then turn off
• 2. Ensure data roaming is ON for your eSIM line
• 3. Select network manually: Settings → Cellular → Network Selection
• 4. If you select a network manually, pick Banglalink (it may show as BL or 470-03) - our Bangladesh plan carries no other network, so anything else will fail. Otherwise leave it on Automatic

Slow Data Speeds?

• • Network congestion common during peak hours
• • If you switch networks manually, only Banglalink works with our Bangladesh plan
• • 5G launched commercially in September 2025 on Robi and Grameenphone in limited areas; our Bangladesh plan is 4G
• • Move to open areas for better signal

No Coverage in Rural Areas?

• • Some remote areas have limited coverage
• • Download offline maps before traveling
• • Coverage improves near towns and main roads
• • Consider getting a local backup SIM

Which network does a Bangladesh eSIM actually connect to?

Every Bangladesh country plan in our catalogue is registered against one operator: Banglalink (MCC 470, MNC 03), on 4G. It is a single-network plan, not a roaming bundle across all four Bangladeshi operators, so if your phone ever asks you to pick a network by hand, Banglalink is the only correct answer. Grameenphone coverage in Bangladesh comes from our Asia regional plan and from global plans instead.

Do I have to give a fingerprint to get mobile data in Bangladesh?

For a local SIM, yes. Bangladesh has required biometric SIM registration since 2016: buying a Grameenphone, Robi, Banglalink or Teletalk SIM means visiting an operator outlet in person with an identity document and having your fingerprint scanned against it. Foreign visitors go through a passport-based version of the same process at a customer care centre, in business hours. An eSIM bought before you fly skips that step completely - it is provisioned to you abroad, not registered to a Bangladeshi identity - which is the single biggest practical reason travellers use one here.

Can I use my eSIM in neighbouring India?

Not with the Bangladesh country plan: it is scoped to Bangladesh only and stops working the moment you cross. What does cover both is our Asia regional plan, which spans 18 destinations including Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Thailand and Singapore, and our global plans, which cover Bangladesh and India among 150-plus destinations. If your trip crosses the Benapole or Akhaura border, buy the regional or global plan rather than two country plans. Note that near the border your phone can latch onto an Indian network without telling you.

Is 5G available in Bangladesh?

Yes, but barely, and not on this plan. Commercial 5G finally launched on 1 September 2025, with Robi switching on first in parts of Dhaka, Chattogram and Sylhet and Grameenphone following with the divisional headquarters. Coverage is deliberately limited, and only a small minority of handsets in the country are 5G-capable. Our Bangladesh country plan runs on Banglalink in 4G, which is what you will realistically be using - and 4G in Dhaka, Chattogram, Sylhet and Cox Bazar is perfectly good for maps, messaging, ride-hailing and video calls.

How much does roaming cost instead?

That depends entirely on your home operator, so check its published rate for Bangladesh specifically before you fly rather than trusting a generic "international zone" figure. What is safe to say is that Bangladesh sits outside every roam-like-at-home arrangement - it is not in the EEA, and it is not in the North American bundles - so it is billed at an operator’s international tariff or through a daily pass. Our live prices are in the pricing section above; compare the two yourself with your own operator’s number in hand.

Will my eSIM work during monsoon season?

Generally yes. The networks are built for it, and the monsoon (roughly June to September) does not take cell sites down as a rule. What does happen is that heavy rain degrades signal quality, and that flooding and cyclones cause power cuts which eventually drain tower batteries in the worst-hit districts. If you are travelling in the wet season, carry a power bank, download offline maps, and do not plan on being reachable every minute in the haor wetlands or the coastal belt.

Can I top up my data if I run out?

Yes. You can top up an active eSIM from your account or the app without reinstalling anything, and the new allowance attaches to the profile already on your phone. You do not need to scan a second QR code. If you are on a fixed-data plan and expect a heavy stretch - a lot of navigation in Dhaka traffic, or uploading photos from Cox Bazar - it is usually cheaper to top up than to buy a fresh plan.

Is there coverage in the Sundarbans?

In the gateway towns, yes; deep inside the mangroves, no. Khulna, Mongla and Bagerhat have solid 4G, and the launch points for boat tours are covered. Once the boat is a few hours into the delta the signal thins out and then disappears, and tiger-spotting tours run for days in that zone. Treat the Sundarbans as offline: download your maps and share your itinerary before departure, and rely on the boat operator’s own radio or satellite equipment while you are out there. No eSIM changes what antennas exist.