eSIM for Bangladesh

eSIM, roaming or a local SIM in Bangladesh

There are three ways to stay connected, each with trade-offs.

How much data to plan for

Your data use will depend on whether you are visiting family, travelling for business or exploring the country. Figures are approximate:

• Maps and navigation: a few megabytes per hour; very useful in Dhaka's complex street network.
• Ride-hailing apps: light; widely used in Dhaka and Chattogram.
• Messaging: light; WhatsApp, Messenger and IMO are commonly used.
• Translation apps: light; a Bengali pack helps outside tourist areas.
• Video calls: typically several hundred megabytes per hour; many visitors call family often.
• Streaming: heavy, often a gigabyte or more per hour in high definition.

Before you go

Install the eSIM at home on Wi-Fi. First check your phone supports eSIM and is carrier-unlocked.

Then follow the install guide for iPhone, Samsung or Pixel. Label the line "Bangladesh", keep your home SIM as default for calls and texts, and set the Spidot line for mobile data.

• Install the eSIM a day or two before departure.
• Download offline maps of Dhaka and any regions you will visit.
• Download a Bengali language pack in your translation app.
• Save hotel addresses and train or launch tickets offline.
• Turn off data roaming on your home SIM.

Arriving in Bangladesh

Most international flights land at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the north of Dhaka. Chattogram and Sylhet also have international flights, mainly from the Gulf and neighbouring countries. Overland, there are crossings from India.

When you land, select the Spidot line for mobile data and turn on data roaming for it. Our data roaming guide shows where the setting is. If it does not connect after a minute or two, switch flight mode on and off once.

Coverage in cities, the delta and the hills

Bangladesh is densely populated, and mobile coverage reaches most towns and villages. In Dhaka, Chattogram, Sylhet, Khulna, Rajshahi and other cities, data generally works as you would expect, though very crowded areas can be congested at busy times. In Bangladesh, the Spidot eSIM connects to Banglalink Digital Communications.

Some areas are harder to cover:

• The Sundarbans: once you are deep in the mangroves on a boat trip, signal fades or disappears. Expect to be largely offline for the trip.
• The Chittagong Hill Tracts: hilly and forested, with gaps away from towns like Rangamati and Bandarban.
• Rivers and chars: on launches and on river islands, coverage can come and go.
• Tea gardens around Sreemangal: usually covered near towns, with weaker spots in forest areas such as Lawachara.
• Saint Martin's Island: off the far southern coast; coverage can be limited.

Data on trains, buses, launches and rickshaws

Bangladesh Railway connects Dhaka with Chattogram, Sylhet, Khulna, Rajshahi and other cities, and trains are a comfortable way to avoid road traffic. Long-distance buses run on most routes. In Dhaka, the metro rail offers a fast way across part of the city, and rickshaws and CNG auto-rickshaws handle shorter trips.

River launches are a classic Bangladesh experience, especially overnight services from Dhaka's Sadarghat towards Barishal and the south. Coverage on the river comes and goes, so download what you need before boarding.

Sharing data with a hotspot

Hotel Wi-Fi in Dhaka is usually adequate in business hotels, but slower elsewhere, and power cuts can affect routers. Your phone's personal hotspot can connect a laptop or tablet; it shares the line selected for mobile data, so make sure that is the Spidot line.

Pause cloud backups and automatic updates before tethering, and keep an eye on your balance.

Using public Wi-Fi safely

Hotels, cafés and shopping centres in larger cities often offer Wi-Fi. It is useful, but open networks can be insecure.

• Use your eSIM data for banking, payments and logins.
• Check the exact network name with staff.
• Turn off automatic joining of open networks.
• Keep your phone and apps updated.

Practical tips for Bangladesh

A few local details worth knowing:

• Currency: the taka (BDT) is the currency. Bangladesh is largely a cash economy for visitors; cards are accepted in larger hotels and some shops. Mobile money services such as bKash are widely used by locals.
• Traffic: allow plenty of time for journeys in Dhaka, and check live traffic in your map app before setting off.
• Monsoon: the monsoon season brings heavy rain and flooding in some areas, which can disrupt transport. Data helps you check updates.
• Power: power cuts happen, so carry a charged power bank.
• Dress and etiquette: dress modestly, especially outside Dhaka, and ask before photographing people.
• Language: Bengali (Bangla) is the national language. English is spoken in business and by many educated people.

Bangladesh on a multi-country trip

Bangladesh is often combined with India, particularly Kolkata and the north-east, and some travellers continue to Nepal or Sri Lanka by air.

For trips through several countries, install one eSIM per country before you leave home. Most eSIM phones can store several, and you switch mobile data to the right line when you arrive. Near the Indian border, check the network name in your settings to make sure you are using the line you expect.