Generally, yes. Providing satellite connectivity or broadband to users in Bangladesh, operating a gateway or earth station, or using spectrum in Bangladesh requires authorisation under the Bangladesh Telecommunication Act 2001, administered by the BTRC. A foreign satellite operator may obtain a licence through a local entity, where the category allows it, or provide capacity to an existing licensee that serves end users. The route depends on the service, licence category and current policy. Offering services directly to Bangladeshi users without the right authorisation risks enforcement, equipment seizure and damage to future applications. Confirm the route before committing to customers.

In 2025 the BTRC issued guidelines for non-geostationary satellite orbit service operators, creating a specific licensing route for low-earth-orbit broadband providers, and the first such services launched in Bangladesh that year. The guidelines address matters such as local presence, gateways, lawful interception, data and fees. They have since operated alongside a broader reform of telecom licensing. Because the framework is new and evolving, we check the current guidelines and BTRC practice on every matter, and advise any satellite operator on how existing conditions are being interpreted before it applies or accepts a licence. Early clarification avoids costly redesign.

Licences generally require operators to enable lawful interception and to cooperate with authorised agencies, and satellite licences are no exception. In practice that can affect where gateways are located, how traffic is routed, what equipment must be installed and how data access requests are handled. For a global satellite operator, these requirements can raise difficult questions under home-country law and customer commitments. We review the conditions, advise on compliance architecture with technical advisers, and help the operator raise legitimate concerns with the regulator before accepting the licence rather than after. Agreed arrangements should be recorded in writing.

Foreign investment in telecom and satellite businesses is permitted in some categories but may be subject to ownership limits, local partnership requirements, security clearance and conditions on management and control. Requirements differ by licence category and have changed over time, so we confirm the current position for the specific service. Foreign investment registration now sits with Invest Bangladesh, and remittance of dividends, fees and capacity charges must follow foreign exchange rules. We structure the investment so that the satellite operator's commercial goals and the regulatory requirements fit together, and document the arrangements in shareholder and partnership agreements.

Usually. Terminals, antennas, gateway equipment and other ground segment equipment generally need type approval or similar clearance before they are imported or used, and import permissions apply at customs. Unauthorised terminals can be seized and their users penalised. The approval process involves technical documentation and sometimes testing. We coordinate equipment approvals with the satellite operator's licence application and import plans, so that equipment is cleared in time for launch and distributors and retailers understand the conditions that apply to the terminals they sell to customers in Bangladesh. Retail distributors also need clear contractual responsibilities for compliance.

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Act 2001 gives the government and the BTRC powers to issue directions to licensees, including in situations involving national security or public order, and licence conditions usually require compliance. Internet shutdowns in recent years have shown that these powers are used. Whether a particular direction is lawful depends on the statute, the licence and constitutional limits. We help each satellite operator understand the scope of the powers, build procedures for receiving and verifying directions, and assess remedies where a direction exceeds legal authority, including through the courts where appropriate. Written records of each direction help.

Capacity and reseller agreements should reflect who holds which licence, who is responsible for each regulatory obligation, and what happens if a licence is suspended, conditions change or a partner breaches the rules. Payment clauses must fix the currency and account for foreign exchange approvals and withholding tax, which the Finance Act 2026 reduced to 10% for interest paid to non-residents, while other payment types carry their own rates. Service level, interference and force majeure terms need care. We draft and negotiate these agreements so that the satellite operator's network, revenues and brand are protected under Bangladeshi law.

Satellite and telecom licences typically involve application and licence acquisition fees, annual licence fees, spectrum charges and revenue sharing with the regulator, together with contributions to social obligation funds in some categories. The amounts and structures are set by the BTRC and change with policy reforms, so we work from the current schedules and the specific licence. Fees and revenue sharing affect pricing and business cases significantly. We help each satellite operator model regulatory costs, check how revenue is defined for revenue sharing purposes, and resolve disputes over assessments with the regulator. Payment disputes are best avoided early.