Multiple submarine cables and alternative routes through Khulna’s Mongla needed

Bangladesh’s internet traffic demand could rise from the current 12.1 terabytes to nearly 50 terabytes by 2030, making multiple submarine cable systems and geographically diverse international routes essential, according to Prime Minister’s ICT and Telecom Adviser Rehan Asif Asad.

He made the remarks in response to questions from journalists at a press conference held Thursday, September 3, at ICT Tower in Agargaon, Dhaka. Post, Telecommunications and ICT and Science and Technology Minister Faqir Mahbub Anam and ICT Secretary Md. Mamunur Rashid Bhuiyan were present.

Rehan Asif Asad said Bangladesh’s data consumption growth is broadly aligned with the global trend. Domestic data usage is currently growing by 30 to 40 percent annually, meaning the country’s data traffic is roughly doubling every two and a half years.

Bangladesh currently handles about 12.1TB of total internet traffic. Of this, 5.2TB is being carried through submarine cables, against a total submarine capacity of 6.1TB. The remaining traffic is carried through International Terrestrial Cable, or ITC, routes via India.

Based on the current growth trajectory, the adviser projected that Bangladesh’s internet traffic could reach around 20TB by 2027 and nearly 50TB by 2030.

Rehan Asif Asad stressed that submarine cable infrastructure cannot be developed overnight or within six months simply by allocating funds. Obtaining permits, securing suitable cable-laying vessels and completing other processes require at least two to two and a half years to establish a connection between a hub and a major hub.

Therefore, Bangladesh must begin long-term planning now through back-calculation based on the projected 50TB demand in 2030, he said.

Meeting the increase from around 12TB to 50TB of traffic cannot be achieved through only one or two submarine cable systems. Bangladesh will need multiple submarine cables, separate landing points and independent international routes to meet rising demand and strengthen network resilience.

Over the next three to five years, the private sector will have to join government initiatives such as SEA-ME-WE to expand the country’s international connectivity infrastructure.

He also said a team from the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation, or IFC, recently sent a letter expressing interest in investing in Bangladesh’s submarine cable sector.

According to the adviser, several domestic and international companies are interested in investing in the country’s emerging submarine cable infrastructure market. Such investment should be used to develop multiple cable landing points across coastal and port-based regions.

Alternative submarine cable route through Khulna’s Mongla

The government is placing greater emphasis on route diversity to strengthen connectivity, reduce dependence on a single landing point and improve resilience against natural disasters and other disruptions.

Rather than relying primarily on Chattogram or Kuakata, Bangladesh should also develop an alternative submarine cable route through Khulna’s Mongla area, the adviser said. A Khulna-Mongla route could serve as an important international connectivity corridor for the country’s southwestern region.

Rehan Asif Asad said the government is considering establishing another submarine cable connection point in the Khulna-Mongla area alongside Cox’s Bazar and Kuakata.

A landing point through Khulna’s Mongla would increase the geographical diversity of Bangladesh’s international internet infrastructure. It would also reduce dependence on the Chattogram and Kuakata routes and create opportunities to distribute traffic across multiple independent systems.

Such diversification would allow traffic to be shifted quickly to alternative routes if a particular cable or landing point is damaged by a natural disaster, seabed disruption or another incident.

The development of multiple submarine cables and alternative routes through Khulna’s Mongla would therefore strengthen Bangladesh’s bandwidth capacity, network stability, security and disaster resilience as internet traffic continues to rise.
//DBTech/NAP/MIS//