FairSIM eSIM for Bangladesh
Bangladesh runs on a phone. Ride-hailing is how you cross Dhaka without losing an hour to a fare negotiation, foodpanda covers most of Gulshan and Dhanmondi, bus and launch tickets are booked in apps, and almost every hotel, guide and tea-estate contact answers on WhatsApp or imo. Addresses are vague and street signs are thin, so offline maps plus live data is the difference between finding a place and circling it.
A FairSIM eSIM roams onto Grameenphone or Banglalink, the two networks on our coverage sheet here. Both run 4G LTE across the cities, the highways and the main tourist stops, with 3G and 2G underneath. Neither of these networks carries 5G for roaming, so plan for solid 4G rather than fibre-speed mobile. You install the plan over Wi-Fi before you fly, keep your home number for bank codes, and switch on data the moment you clear immigration at Hazrat Shahjalal.
One local rule matters more here than in most places. A Bangladeshi SIM has to be registered under BTRC rules with your passport, visa and a biometric fingerprint scan at an operator point, and shops will refuse to sell you one without it. A travel eSIM skips that process entirely because it roams. The honest flip side: an eSIM roams on Bangladeshi networks, so if the government restricts mobile internet during unrest, as happened in 2024, your eSIM is restricted too.
- CarriersGrameenphone
- CompatibilityCheck if eSIM is available on your phone
- No days lostPurchase now, data will start when you arrive
Bangladesh eSIM plans
Plan starts: On first data use
Coverage in Bangladesh
- 4G LTE5G
Grameenphone
The largest network in the country and the widest 4G footprint, including the Dhaka-Chittagong corridor, Sylhet and Cox's Bazar. The usual first choice for roaming data.
- 4G LTE5G
Banglalink
The other network available to the eSIM, strong in Dhaka, Chittagong and the main district towns, with 4G in most places you would stay.
4G LTE, with 3G and 2G as fallback. Neither network offers 5G for this eSIM, so the page promises 4G only.
Typical speed: Expect usable rather than fast 4G: fine for maps, messaging, ride apps and standard-definition video, slower in crowded parts of Dhaka at peak hours.
Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet, Khulna, Rajshahi, Cox's Bazar and the national highways are well covered on 4G. Coverage thins on the Sundarbans waterways, in parts of the Chittagong Hill Tracts and on Saint Martin's Island, where you may drop to 2G or nothing.
How much data do you need in Bangladesh?
It depends on how you travel. Find your trip below, then pick the plan that matches. You can always top up in the app.
Dhaka city trip or layover
Two to four days between Old Dhaka, Gulshan and the river.
Why data matters: Pathao and Uber for every crossing, maps for streets that are barely labelled, foodpanda in the evening, and WhatsApp for drivers and guides.
- 7 days
- 5 GB
- 14 days
- 10 GB
- 30 days
- 20 GB
Cox's Bazar beach week
Flight or night coach from Dhaka, then the beach and Inani.
Why data matters: Hotel bookings, bus and flight changes, and photo uploads. The beach strip has 4G; keep the coast road mapped offline.
- 7 days
- 5 GB
- 14 days
- 10 GB
- 30 days
- 15 GB
Sundarbans and river journeys
Boat trips from Khulna or Mongla, plus the launch to Barisal.
Why data matters: Confirm boat pickups before you leave signal, then expect long gaps on the waterways. Download maps and tickets in advance.
- 7 days
- 3 GB
- 14 days
- 5 GB
- 30 days
- 10 GB
Tea hills and Sylhet loop
Srimangal estates, Lawachara and the rivers around Jaflong.
Why data matters: Train and CNG bookings, guide contacts, and translation. 4G holds in the towns and comes and goes on estate roads.
- 7 days
- 5 GB
- 14 days
- 10 GB
- 30 days
- 15 GB
Family visit or work trip
Weeks with relatives, or garment-factory and NGO travel across districts.
Why data matters: Long video calls home, Teams and Zoom from hotel rooms, hotspot for the laptop, and data that survives load-shedding when the Wi-Fi router dies.
- 7 days
- 10 GB
- 14 days
- 20 GB
- 30 days
- 30 GB
What your home carrier charges in Bangladesh
Daily roaming passes look small until you multiply them by the length of the trip. FairSIM plans for Bangladesh start at $6.99 and never bill per day.
| Carrier | Roaming charge | FairSIM |
|---|---|---|
| AT&T International Day Pass (US) | $12 per day per line, $6 for each additional line, charged only on the days you use it | from $6.99, no daily fee |
| Verizon TravelPass (US) | $12 per line per day, 5 GB of high-speed data per day then slower speeds | from $6.99, no daily fee |
| T-Mobile International Pass (US) | $10 for 1 day and 2 GB, $50 for 10 days and 15 GB, $75 for 30 days and 30 GB | from $6.99, no daily fee |
| EE (UK) | £6 per day, £30 for 7 days or £50 for 15 days, using your UK allowance | from $6.99, no daily fee |
| Vodafone UK | £8 per day, £6 on plans started before 11 August 2021 | from $6.99, no daily fee |
| Telekom (Germany) | No per-MB data: a Travel & Surf pass from €5.95 for 2 days or €49.95 for 4 weeks, unless your MagentaMobil plan's yearly non-EU allowance covers the trip | from $6.99, no daily fee |
| Telstra International Day Pass (Australia) | A$10 per day with 2 GB of data | from $6.99, no daily fee |
Carrier prices as published on their roaming pages at the time of writing. They change often; check your own plan before you fly.
How FairSIM works
Three steps between you and the internet abroad. Nothing to pick up at the airport.
Pick a destination and a plan
Choose the country or region and the data you need. The price you see is the price you pay.
Tap install
On iPhone (iOS 17.4+) the eSIM installs in one tap, no QR code. Do it at home while you still have Wi-Fi.
Land and connect
Turn on data roaming for the FairSIM line when you arrive. Your plan starts when it first connects.
Connectivity tips for Bangladesh
Install the eSIM at home over Wi-Fi and leave the line switched off until you land. Validity typically starts at the first connection to a Bangladeshi network.
Download Google Maps offline for Dhaka, the Cox's Bazar coast, Sylhet and Khulna. Street naming is inconsistent and drivers navigate by landmark.
Keep your home SIM in the phone with its data roaming off, so bank and airline codes still arrive.
Carry a power bank. Load-shedding is routine outside central Dhaka, and a day of ride apps plus maps drains a battery fast.
Mobile internet has been restricted nationally during periods of unrest, most notably in 2024. An eSIM roams on local networks and is subject to the same restrictions, so keep tickets, bookings and maps saved offline.
The Chittagong Hill Tracts need permits and a guide for some areas, and coverage drops away from the towns. Sort logistics while you still have 4G.
Saint Martin's Island has limited network and visitor rules that change season to season. Check the current ferry and overnight restrictions before booking.
Use Personal Hotspot for your laptop rather than hotel Wi-Fi when you have a call that matters. Every FairSIM plan allows it.
Can you rely on free Wi-Fi?
Wi-Fi exists but do not build a trip around it. Business hotels in Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet are usually fine, cafés in Gulshan, Banani and Dhanmondi are fine, and mid-range hotels in Cox's Bazar are variable. Outside the cities, guesthouse Wi-Fi is often a single mobile connection shared by everyone, and load-shedding still cuts power in many districts, which takes the router with it. Airport Wi-Fi is enough to send a message. For anything time-sensitive, use the eSIM.
Local SIM card or eSIM in Bangladesh?
Grameenphone, Banglalink, Robi and Airtel all sell prepaid SIMs, and local data bundles in taka are genuinely cheap. The cost is the paperwork. BTRC rules require every SIM to be registered with your passport, your visa page, a photo and a biometric fingerprint scan, done at an operator service centre or an authorised point rather than a street kiosk. There are counters in the arrivals hall at Hazrat Shahjalal in Dhaka, but hours and stock vary, the fingerprint system sometimes fails on foreign passports, and you may be sent to a Gulshan or Banani service centre the next day. Street resellers offering a ready-made SIM are selling a line registered to someone else, which is illegal and can be cut off without warning.
A FairSIM eSIM avoids all of that. You install it at home over Wi-Fi, land, turn on the line and data roaming, and it connects to Grameenphone or Banglalink towers, the same masts a local SIM uses. No passport desk, no fingerprint, no second trip across the city, and your home number stays active for bank one-time codes. What a local SIM still does better is a local voice number for calling shops and drivers on a normal phone line, and mobile money. If you need those, buy a local SIM for the number and keep the eSIM for data. If you mainly need maps, ride apps and WhatsApp, the eSIM is enough on its own.
Bangladesh eSIM questions
Does eSIM work in Bangladesh?
Yes. An unlocked eSIM-capable phone connects to Grameenphone or Banglalink 4G with a travel eSIM. On iPhone that means XS, XR or newer; on Android, most recent Pixel, Samsung Galaxy S and A flagship models.
Which network will my Bangladesh eSIM use?
Grameenphone or Banglalink. Grameenphone has the widest 4G footprint nationally. The app shows the network for each plan, and your phone may switch between them depending on the plan.
Is there 5G in Bangladesh?
Not on the networks available to this eSIM. Grameenphone and Banglalink give you 4G LTE here, with 3G and 2G as fallback. Plan for reliable 4G, not 5G speeds.
Do I need a passport and fingerprint for a Bangladesh eSIM?
No. Biometric registration applies to Bangladeshi SIM cards under BTRC rules. A travel eSIM roams, so there is no registration desk and no fingerprint scan.
Can I get a SIM at Dhaka airport?
There are operator counters in arrivals, but hours, stock and the fingerprint system are inconsistent, and foreign passports sometimes have to be processed at a city service centre. Installing an eSIM before you fly avoids the gamble.
Can I use Personal Hotspot?
Yes. Every FairSIM plan supports Personal Hotspot with no separate cap, which is the easiest way to get a laptop online in a hotel with weak Wi-Fi.
How much data do I need for a week in Bangladesh?
A week of maps, ride apps, messaging and light browsing runs about 3 to 5 GB. Add more if you video call family daily or stream in the evenings; 10 GB is comfortable for two weeks.
Will my eSIM work in the Sundarbans and the hill tracts?
Partly. Towns and jetties have 4G, but coverage on the mangrove waterways and in remote hill areas drops to weak 2G or nothing. Download maps and confirm pickups before you leave signal.
Local SIM or eSIM for Bangladesh?
A local SIM is cheap and gives you a local voice number, but it needs your passport, visa and a fingerprint scan in person. An eSIM installs before you fly, roams on the same Grameenphone or Banglalink towers, and keeps your home number active for verification codes.
What is an eSIM?
A SIM card built into your phone. Instead of a plastic chip, you download a profile. Every iPhone since the XS has one next to the physical SIM slot, so your home number stays put while FairSIM supplies the data.
Is my phone compatible?
FairSIM works with eSIM-compatible, carrier-unlocked iPhones: the XS, XR and everything newer, on iOS 17.4 or later for the one-tap install with no QR code. iPhones bought in mainland China do not support eSIM at all, even when unlocked. Not sure yours is unlocked? Check Settings, General, About, Carrier Lock, or ask your carrier. The full list is on the How it works page.
When should I install my eSIM?
Before you travel, while you still have Wi-Fi. Installing does not start your plan; the validity typically starts when the eSIM first connects to a network at your destination.
Do FairSIM eSIMs come with a phone number?
No. FairSIM eSIMs are data-only by design, which keeps costs low. For calls and texts, your physical SIM stays active so you keep your existing number, and WhatsApp, FaceTime and iMessage work over data.
