Bangladesh to secure Starlink internet deal within three months, says Yunus

He says the deal will provide a reliable internet service that can not be disrupted by any future political upheaval

Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus 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 Bangladesh.

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.

Yunus took charge of the interim government in August after Hasina was forced to flee to neighbouring India following weeks of violent protests.

"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.

As protests spread nationwide in July last year, authorities suspended internet and text messaging services. The interim government says Starlink's satellite-based technology would reduce the potential for government-imposed disruptions.

Yunus said inflation was the government's biggest challenge. Inflation had fallen to 9.32 percent in Feb, the lowest level in 22 months, he said, and he hoped it would drop below 8 percent by Jun.

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.