Capacity stands at 7,200 Gbps, to hit 41,000 by 2027
No Bandwidth Crisis in Bangladesh: BSCPLC
- State-run BSCPLC dismissed reports of impending bandwidth shortages and tariff hikes as baseless and detached from technical reality.
- Current operational capacity across two submarine cables stands at 7,200 Gbps, with 4,000 Gbps utilized and 3,200 Gbps in surplus.
- Commissioning SEA-ME-WE-6 by 2027 will elevate national capacity to 41,000 Gbps, comfortably surpassing BTRC’s 2030 projecti
Bangladesh faces no shortage of international bandwidth, and reports forecasting imminent network disruptions or tariff spikes are technically baseless and contrary to ground operational data, stated Bangladesh Submarine Cables PLC (BSCPLC). The state-run authority emphasized that current network capacity maintains massive redundancy, while large-scale subsea optical infrastructure upgrades are progressing ahead of future domestic internet traffic demands.
The authoritative technical briefing was released to media outlets on 2 September 2026, Wednesday.
The clarification follows recent reports titled "Bangladesh on the Brink of Bandwidth Crisis, Fears of Massive Internet Disruption" and "Internet Tariffs May Rise and Speeds Drop Amid Bandwidth Deficit." BSCPLC clarified that, beyond the two existing trusted subsea systems—SEA-ME-WE-4 and SEA-ME-WE-5—the implementation of the SEA-ME-WE-6 cable consortium is actively underway to sustain national data traffic growth.
Analyzing current infrastructure data, BSCPLC highlighted that the combined bandwidth throughput of the two operational cables is approximately 7,200 Gbps. Of this capacity, around 4,000 Gbps is currently provisioned across domestic networks, leaving an active surplus cushion of nearly 3,200 Gbps available for deployment.
When the SEA-ME-WE-6 subsea transmission system enters commercial operation in 2027, it will deliver an additional 34,000 Gbps of bandwidth. This upgrade will escalate BSCPLC’s aggregated international transmission capacity to 41,000 Gbps by 2027.
According to projections published by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), the country’s peak nationwide bandwidth demand is expected to reach 30,000 Gbps by 2030. The infrastructure operationalized by 2027 will thus exceed projected demands through the end of the decade. Concurrently, six licensed International Terrestrial Cable (ITC) operators continue to route land-based bandwidth cross-border to ensure operational redundancy. BSCPLC has also initiated technical procedures to connect Bangladesh to a fourth submarine cable system.
BSCPLC Deputy Director and Spokesperson Abdur Noor Tushar stated that the enterprise is fully prepared from both infrastructural and operational standpoints to satisfy prevailing and future bandwidth requirements. He emphasized that there is no deficit in supply, nor any risk of future deficits. He noted that BSCPLC continues to systematically lower wholesale bandwidth tariffs through competitive bulk packages, adding that greater data consumption will yield economies of scale, making wholesale internet connectivity even more economical.
BSCPLC characterized reports alleging looming bandwidth deficits and tariff increases as speculative and intentionally misleading. The entity reiterated its commitment to defending national digital sovereignty and safeguarding strategic critical information infrastructure.
//DBTech/AHBP/MSI//
