Bangladesh could face a serious telecommunications infrastructure challenge as demand for international bandwidth continues to rise rapidly while decisions on new submarine cable connections remain uncertain, industry stakeholders have warned.

They said that unless additional capacity is brought into service in time, bandwidth shortages could become a major constraint on the country’s digital economy over the next decade. Growing dependence on a limited number of international connections could also increase the vulnerability of internet services to technical failures and maintenance-related disruptions.

The concerns were raised at a workshop titled ‘The Need for New Submarine Cables to Protect Digital Sovereignty and Meet Future Bandwidth Demand’, held at a resort near Dhaka on Monday, 31 August. The event was organised by the Telecom and Technology Reporters Association of Bangladesh (TRNB).

TRNB president Masuduzzaman Robin chaired the workshop, while its general secretary Faruk Hossain also spoke at the event. Mashiur Rahman, chief executive officer of C-Data Communications Limited, and Mahmud Shahed, project lead at Metacore Subcom Limited, delivered presentations covering the history of submarine cables, Bangladesh’s need for additional international connectivity, investment prospects and digital sovereignty.

Metacore Subcom managing director Ahmed Junaid and chief executive officer Mohammad Aminul Hakim were also present.

Hakim said connecting Bangladesh to privately operated submarine cable systems could strengthen the country’s digital sovereignty while creating greater competition in the international bandwidth market. He claimed that such connectivity could potentially reduce internet prices by up to 50 per cent, improve quality of service by 25 to 30 per cent and lower latency.

He also said the arrival of additional submarine cables could increase internet usage in Bangladesh by 20 to 30 per cent. According to him, international terrestrial cable operators remain a significant competitor in the market alongside submarine cable operators.

International bandwidth demand rising sharply

Figures presented at the workshop showed a dramatic increase in Bangladesh’s international bandwidth consumption over the past 13 years.

In 2013, the country used only about 50 Gbps of international bandwidth. By 2018, the figure had risen to around 0.76 terabits per second, followed by 1.78 Tbps in 2020 and 4.2 Tbps in 2022. Usage reached 6.86 Tbps in 2024 and approximately 13.5 Tbps in 2026.

Based on the figures presented, international bandwidth usage has increased roughly 260-fold since 2013. The current requirement is estimated at around 13.5 Tbps.

Industry forecasts suggest that demand could continue rising rapidly:

The projected growth is being linked to the expanding use of video streaming, cloud-based services, data centres, artificial intelligence, online education, digital payments and technology-driven industrial activity. As these services become more deeply integrated into everyday economic and social activity, the requirement for reliable international connectivity is expected to increase accordingly.

Heavy reliance on limited submarine connections

Bangladesh currently relies primarily on two government submarine cable systems, SEA-ME-WE-4 and SEA-ME-WE-5. Their capacities are approximately 4.6 Tbps and 2.5 Tbps respectively. The remaining international bandwidth is imported through International Terrestrial Cable (ITC) connections.

Stakeholders at the workshop argued that this concentration of international connectivity creates a structural risk. If one of the submarine cables experiences a technical fault or requires maintenance, pressure on the remaining routes could increase substantially, potentially affecting the stability and quality of internet services across the country.

The comparison with several other countries was also highlighted. India is connected to 19 international submarine cable systems, while Malaysia has 23, Thailand 12 and the Philippines 19. Bangladesh, by comparison, has considerably fewer submarine cable connections.

The issue is therefore not simply one of having enough bandwidth under normal operating conditions. Multiple international routes can also provide greater resilience when individual cable systems experience faults or undergo maintenance.

Third cable may not meet long-term demand

Bangladesh’s third submarine cable, SEA-ME-WE-6, is expected to add further international connectivity. However, industry stakeholders believe that even this additional capacity will not be sufficient to address the country’s longer-term requirements.

SEA-ME-WE-4 is expected to reach the end of its operational life in 2030. At the same time, bandwidth demand is projected to increase substantially during the same period. According to the forecast presented at the workshop, Bangladesh could face a bandwidth shortfall approaching 20 Tbps by 2028.

This gap highlights the need for infrastructure planning well ahead of the point at which demand exceeds available capacity.

Private submarine cables seen as potential solution

Against this backdrop, industry representatives argued that allowing private-sector investment in new submarine cable systems could provide an important additional source of capacity.

According to the figures presented at the workshop, proposed private submarine cable systems could add around 51 Tbps of capacity. If realised, total available capacity could rise to approximately 67 Tbps.

Greater capacity could also change the competitive landscape. Increased competition among international bandwidth providers could create scope for lower wholesale prices, while reducing reliance on bandwidth imported through routes connected to India.

Stakeholders argue that private submarine cable connections would therefore serve two purposes: expanding the country’s capacity and diversifying its international connectivity.

Decisions needed before demand reaches critical levels

The discussion at the workshop focused not only on Bangladesh’s immediate bandwidth requirements but also on the country’s digital capacity in 2030 and 2035.

Submarine cable projects require substantial preparation. Planning, financing, approvals, construction and commissioning can take several years, meaning that waiting until a shortage becomes acute could leave limited room for a timely response.

For Bangladesh, the issue is particularly significant as more economic activity becomes dependent on stable international internet connectivity. Digital financial services, online education, cloud computing, data centres, artificial intelligence and technology-based industries all require reliable access to international networks.

Stakeholders therefore cautioned that continued uncertainty over new submarine cable projects could make it harder to match future demand with adequate infrastructure. They also warned that Bangladesh should avoid repeating strategic missed opportunities such as the earlier loss of an opportunity to participate in SEA-ME-WE-3.

The central concern raised at the workshop was clear: Bangladesh’s bandwidth requirement is expanding much faster than its international connectivity options. Without timely investment and diversification, the country could find itself under increasing pressure just as its digital economy enters a period of much faster growth.