BPCS, Nokia ink SLTE deal, paving way for Bangladesh's 1st private submarine cable network
The deal was signed at a ceremony held at a hotel in Dhaka, a development industry insiders described as a milestone for private-sector involvement in the country’s international connectivity infrastructure.
Bangladesh took a step towards its first privately led submarine cable project yesterday as the Bangladesh Private Cable System (BPCS) Consortium signed an agreement with Nokia to supply Submarine Line Terminal Equipment (SLTE).
The deal was signed at a ceremony held at a hotel in Dhaka, a development industry insiders described as a milestone for private-sector involvement in the country's international connectivity infrastructure.
On behalf of the BPCS Consortium, the agreement was signed by Aminul Hakim, chief executive officer of Metacore Subcom Limited; Arif Al Islam, managing director and chief executive of Summit Communications Limited; and Md Mashiur Rahman, chief executive of CdnNet Communications Limited. Nokia was represented by Prashant Malkani, head of sales unit at Nokia India, and Suman Prasad, senior sales account director at the company.
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Senior Nokia officials, including Jibitesh Nayal, head of emerging business, Rahul Derwani, marketing manager, Mohammad R Islam, account manager, and Christopher Samuel, head of sales at Nokia Bangladesh, were also present.
Several foreign diplomats attended the event, including European Union Ambassador Michael Miller, Finnish diplomat to India Antti Herlevi, and representatives from the Japanese Embassy, highlighting the project's international importance.
Speaking at the event, consortium officials said Bangladesh's current bandwidth consumption stands at around 9,000 gigabits per second (Gbps). Demand is expected to rise sharply to nearly 20,000 Gbps by mid-2027 and to about 50,000 Gbps by 2030, increasing the need for private investment in submarine cable infrastructure.
The consortium has already invested around Tk600 crore in the project and plans to spend a further Tk1,200 to Tk1,300 crore to launch three cable pairs after June 2026.
At present, more than 60% of Bangladesh's bandwidth is sourced from India through international terrestrial cables, leading to a significant outflow of foreign currency. The planned Singapore-Cox's Bazar route, with three cable pairs, is expected to reduce this dependence and move the country closer to bandwidth self-sufficiency.
Officials said Nokia's SLTE technology would allow lower power consumption, reduce space requirements in data centres and improve network management, helping to cut operational costs. Using Nokia equipment at both cable landing stations is also expected to ensure a high level of cyber security.
They added that these efficiencies could bring long-term benefits for consumers, including more affordable internet services as capacity increases and costs fall.
