Bangladesh has officially stepped into the 5G era as Robi Axiata and Grameenphone introduced the technology with limited coverage yesterday. Robi, the country’s second-largest operator, switched on 5G in seven key zones across Dhaka, Chattogram, and Sylhet, including Fakirapul, Dhaka University, Moghbazar Chowrasta, Khulshi, and Sagor Dighir Par. Within two hours, Grameenphone announced 5G services in all divisional cities, though early users in Dhaka’s Kawran Bazar reported patchy access.
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This launch marks the beginning of a long-awaited shift to ultra-fast internet, low latency, and greater support for smart services such as IoT, healthcare, and digital innovation. Robi aims to connect 200 towers by November 2025, while both operators have indicated that expansion will be gradual due to infrastructure and ecosystem readiness challenges.
Bangladesh’s mobile journey began with 2G in the 1990s, followed by 3G in 2013 and 4G in 2018, each stage reshaping communication, e-commerce, and financial inclusion. But 5G faced repeated delays despite spectrum auctions in 2022 costing $1.23 billion. Globally, adoption has been much faster. India already has more than 250 million active 5G subscribers, and worldwide subscriptions surpassed 2.4 billion in early 2025.
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Regulators and government officials stressed that the technology must not remain urban-centric. BTRC’s Md Emdad ul Bari urged operators to prioritize rural services in health, education, and smart farming, while GP CEO Yasir Azman described the launch as “a proud moment to deliver transformative technology.” Robi’s acting CEO M Riyaaz Rasheed echoed that 5G will accelerate the nation’s digital economy, calling it a first-hand glimpse of the future of connectivity.