Every local SIM here needs biometric passport registration at the counter. A data-only eSIM skips that queue and gets you online the moment you land in Dhaka.
This guide ranks seven travel eSIMs you can buy for Bangladesh and use the minute you land. You will see the entry price for each, which local network it actually connects to, and how much data a typical trip through Dhaka and beyond really needs. By the end you will know which plan fits your route and your budget.
Bangladesh has four mobile networks: Grameenphone, Robi, Banglalink, and Teletalk. Grameenphone has the widest rural reach, while Robi is quick in the big cities. The table below sorts every provider by entry price and shows the network each one names, so you can match a plan to where you are heading.
| Provider | Plans | From | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
|
eSIMply
Names Grameenphone, the widest rural network. Low capped entry at $2.95, plus a full unlimited ladder. Up to 59% off RRP, no ID or registration.
Up to 59% off
|
1GB to Unlimited · 3-30d | $2.951GB / 7d |
Grameenphone |
|
Airalo
Widest plan range, up to 50GB. Names Grameenphone. The most-used travel eSIM brand.
|
1GB to 50GB · 3-30d | $4.001GB / 3d |
Grameenphone |
|
Saily
NordVPN-backed, 5G listed. Simple capped ladder to 20GB / 30 days at $27.99.
|
1GB to 20GB · 7-30d | $3.991GB / 7d |
Network not disclosed |
|
Nomad
Names Banglalink, with 5G. 50GB / 30 days at $49 for a heavy month.
|
1GB to 50GB · 7-30d | $6.001GB / 7d |
Banglalink |
|
Jetpac
Cheapest teaser at $1 for 1GB. Big buckets up to 50GB. Carrier not disclosed.
|
1GB to 50GB · 4-30d | $1.001GB / 4d |
Network not disclosed |
|
aloSIM
Full unlimited ladder plus 50GB / 90 days at $49. Carrier not disclosed.
|
1GB to Unlimited · 7-90d | $4.501GB / 7d |
Network not disclosed |
|
Roamless
Low 30-day pricing from $3.95, 5G listed. No short-stay plans, 30 days only.
|
1GB to 20GB · 30d only | $3.951GB / 30d |
Network not disclosed |
Prices are from each provider’s public Bangladesh product page, shown in USD.
A local SIM in Bangladesh is cheap, but getting one takes effort. Every prepaid SIM is tied to a biometric fingerprint linked to your passport, tourists included, and airport registration can run 20 to 40 minutes plus queueing. You also need to find a staffed Grameenphone or Robi outlet, which is not guaranteed at the arrivals hall.
An eSIM removes that step entirely. You buy it online, scan a QR code before you fly, and it connects to a local network when you land, with no counter and no fingerprint. eSIMply’s Bangladesh plans start at $2.95 for 1GB over 7 days.
The trade-off is that a travel eSIM is data only, so you get no Bangladeshi phone number for calls or local SMS. If you need a local number for a domestic app or a hotel booking, a physical SIM still wins. Most short-stay visitors do not, and the eSIM is the faster route online.
A low capped entry paired with a named Grameenphone connection and a full unlimited ladder, the network that reaches furthest outside the cities.
eSIMply lists a low capped entry price and names Grameenphone on its product page, the network with the widest rural reach in Bangladesh. That matters because coverage drops off fast outside the cities, and the underlying carrier decides whether you keep signal on the way to Cox’s Bazar or into the tea hills of Sylhet.
The 1GB / 7-day plan is $2.95, and the capped range climbs through 5GB / 30 days at $9.95 to 20GB / 30 days at $25.95. There is also a full unlimited ladder, from $11.95 for 3 days up to $73.95 for 30 days, so a heavy month is covered without picking a fixed bucket.
| Plan | Validity | Price | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | 7 days | $2.95 | Save $4.25 (59%) |
| 3 GB | 30 days | $6.95 | Save $7.45 (52%) |
| 5 GB Best value | 30 days | $9.95 | Save $9.85 (50%) |
| 10 GB | 30 days | $15.95 | Save $15.55 (49%) |
| 20 GB | 30 days | $25.95 | Save $23.55 (48%) |
| Unlimited | 7 days | $25.95 | Save $22.65 (47%) |
Purchase online, receive a QR code by email, and scan it in your phone’s settings before you fly. The eSIM installs in under 2 minutes. Set it as your active data line and switch data roaming on, and it connects to Grameenphone when you land in Dhaka.
Widest plan range for Bangladesh, on Grameenphone, and the travel eSIM most people reach for first.
Airalo is the most widely used travel eSIM brand, and its Bangladesh product page names Grameenphone as the underlying carrier. That is the network travellers most often recommend for coverage beyond the cities, which makes Airalo a safe pick for a trip that runs to Cox’s Bazar or the Hill Tracts.
The plan range is the widest here, from a 1GB / 3-day starter up to 50GB / 30 days at $49.00, with several validity tiers in between. The 10GB / 30 days at $18.00 is a comfortable mid-range buy. Airalo prices in local currency in some regions, so check your total shows in USD before paying.
| Plan | Validity | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | 3 days | $4.00 |
| 3 GB | 7 days | $8.00 |
| 5 GB Best value | 30 days | $11.00 |
| 10 GB | 30 days | $18.00 |
| 20 GB | 30 days | $28.00 |
| 50 GB | 30 days | $49.00 |
The Airalo app guides you through install step by step on iOS and Android, and a QR code install takes under two minutes. The app shows remaining data in real time, which helps when managing a capped plan across a longer stay.
NordVPN-backed, with 5G listed and a clean app, though it does not name its Bangladesh network.
Saily is built by the NordVPN team, a useful trust signal in a country where a VPN is worth having on public Wi-Fi and during any app restrictions. The 1GB / 7-day plan is $3.99, and the lineup runs a simple capped ladder up to 20GB / 30 days at $27.99.
Saily does not name its Bangladesh carrier on the product page, though it says it connects to the country’s best networks and lists 5G where the local network supports it. The app shows live data balance on iOS and Android.
| Plan | Validity | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1 GB Best value | 7 days | $3.99 |
| 3 GB | 30 days | $7.99 |
| 5 GB | 30 days | $10.99 |
| 10 GB | 30 days | $17.99 |
| 20 GB | 30 days | $27.99 |
QR code install via the Saily app or directly from email. The app manages your eSIMs and tracks real-time usage, and it is compatible with all eSIM-capable iPhones and Android devices.
Names Banglalink, with 5G, and stretches to a 50GB bucket for a data-heavy month.
Nomad names Banglalink as its Bangladesh carrier with 5G listed, one of the few providers here to disclose a network. Banglalink is a solid urban performer, so a Nomad plan suits a trip weighted toward Dhaka and Chittagong more than the deep countryside.
Nomad’s entry 1GB / 7-day plan at $6.00 is the priciest starter here, but it climbs to a 50GB / 30 days at $49.00, matching the biggest bucket on our list. The 10GB / 30-day plan at $20.00 is a reasonable mid-range buy. The Nomad app shows live data balance on iOS and Android.
| Plan | Validity | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | 7 days | $6.00 |
| 3 GB | 30 days | $11.00 |
| 5 GB | 30 days | $14.00 |
| 10 GB Best value | 30 days | $20.00 |
| 20 GB | 30 days | $25.00 |
| 50 GB | 30 days | $49.00 |
Standard QR code install, with the Nomad app showing your live data balance and remaining days. Nomad does not auto-renew, so set a reminder if your stay is likely to run past the plan window.
The cheapest way to try a Bangladesh eSIM, with a $1 starter and buckets up to 50GB.
Jetpac has the lowest entry price on our list by a wide margin, with a 1GB / 4-day plan at just $1.00, a genuine try-before-you-commit option. Beyond that starter it offers big data buckets, up to 50GB / 30 days, so it covers both a quick test and a heavy month.
Jetpac does not name a Bangladesh carrier on its product page, and its larger unlimited-style packs apply a fair-use policy that eases speeds after a daily threshold. As with any undisclosed-network plan, you cannot check its rural reach in advance.
| Plan | Validity | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1 GB Best value | 4 days | $1.00 |
| 3 GB | 7 days | $7.99 |
| 5 GB | 30 days | $10.00 |
| 10 GB | 30 days | $17.00 |
| 15 GB | 30 days | $23.00 |
| 30 GB | 30 days | $41.99 |
| 50 GB | 30 days | $60.00 |
Buy in the Jetpac app or online, then install the QR code in a couple of minutes. The app tracks your remaining data, and plans activate when you first connect in Bangladesh.
The only competitor here with a full unlimited-data ladder for Bangladesh, though the network is not named.
aloSIM stands out for offering a complete unlimited-data ladder for Bangladesh, from $11.50 for 3 days up to $99.00 for 30 days, alongside a normal capped range. That makes it the go-to competitor if you would rather not track a data cap on a long stay.
On capped plans, the 5GB / 30 days at $11.00 and 10GB / 30 days at $19.00 are mid-market, and a 50GB / 90 days at $49.00 suits a long, heavy trip. aloSIM does not name its Bangladesh carrier, so its rural reach is unverifiable in advance.
| Plan | Validity | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | 7 days | $4.50 |
| 5 GB | 30 days | $11.00 |
| 10 GB | 30 days | $19.00 |
| 50 GB | 90 days | $49.00 |
| Unlimited Best value | 3 days | $11.50 |
| Unlimited | 7 days | $27.00 |
| Unlimited | 30 days | $99.00 |
QR code install through the aloSIM app on iOS and Android, in a couple of minutes. The app shows live data balance and lets you top up without swapping the eSIM.
Low 30-day pricing from $3.95 with 5G listed, but every plan runs a full month.
Roamless lists some of the lowest 30-day prices here. The 1GB plan at $3.95 is a competitive entry, and the 5GB / 30-day plan at $10.95 sits close to the cheaper names on the same tier. The catch is validity: every Roamless plan runs 30 days, so there is nothing built for a long weekend.
For two weeks or more in Bangladesh at a low monthly price, Roamless is worth a look, and it also offers a small free starter plan to test the network. It lists 5G but does not name the Bangladesh carrier, so its rural reach is unverifiable.
| Plan | Validity | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | 30 days | $3.95 |
| 2 GB | 30 days | $6.95 |
| 3 GB | 30 days | $7.95 |
| 5 GB Best value | 30 days | $10.95 |
| 10 GB | 30 days | $17.45 |
| 20 GB | 30 days | $27.95 |
Install the Roamless app, add the eSIM once, and it stays on your phone for future trips. The app shows your balance and lets you top up as you go.
Bangladesh throws a few things at first-timers that have nothing to do with your data plan. It runs on cash, forces biometric registration on every local SIM, and has switched off the national internet before. Your eSIM handles the first two, but here is what to sort before you land.
The biggest thing eSIM users get wrong is assuming a data plan guarantees they stay online. Bangladesh has ordered nationwide internet shutdowns during unrest, most severely in July 2024, and those cuts hit every SIM and eSIM the same way. Research by OONI documented a nationwide connectivity shutdown from 18 to 23 July 2024.
Outside those rare events a normal plan works fine. Keep a VPN installed in advance, since social and messaging apps were also blocked during the 2024 unrest.
Every prepaid SIM sold in Bangladesh is tied to a biometric fingerprint linked to a passport or national ID, and there is no tourist exemption. A local connectivity guide is blunt that every local SIM requires biometric fingerprint registration, tourists included, and a separate eSIM guide notes airport registration can run 20 to 40 minutes plus queueing. A data-only eSIM installed before you fly skips that counter entirely.
Bangladesh runs on cash, and the mobile wallets everyone else uses are mostly closed to short-term visitors. A travel money guide confirms cash is still king and you need local taka for day-to-day travel, especially outside upscale hotels. bKash and Nagad move enormous sums, with reporting that Tk 6,000 crore moves daily through mobile financial services, but both require a local account to load, so plan to carry cash.
Dhaka is one of the most congested cities on earth, and getting anywhere on time often means a motorbike, not a car. The home-grown super-app Pathao runs bikes, cars, food, and parcels, and travel app guides note that Pathao is faster than Uber for bikes in Dhaka traffic. Both apps need working data to book a ride and share your live location, which is the everyday reason a reliable eSIM matters here.
Which network you are on decides whether you have signal once you leave the cities. A 2026 coverage guide describes Grameenphone as having the widest rural reach into Cox’s Bazar beyond the beach strip, the Chittagong Hill Tracts, and the Sundarbans delta, while Robi holds an urban speed edge in Dhaka, Chittagong, and Sylhet. The same guide warns that deep in the Sundarbans and the Hill Tracts there can be no signal at all, so offline preparation is essential.
Bangladesh mixes several socket standards, so a single adapter may not fit every wall. Travel references list plug types A, C, D, G, and K at 220V and 50Hz, with a universal adapter recommended. Bring one that covers the British-style Type G and the round-pin Type D, the two you will meet most in hotels.
Pathao is the local super-app for bikes, cars, food, and parcels, and usually faster than Uber in Dhaka traffic. For short hops, CNGs, the green auto-rickshaws, and cycle rickshaws run on cash, so agree the fare first. Download Google Maps offline before you set out.
Plan to run on cash. Bring undamaged US dollars to exchange, then keep small taka notes for rickshaws, CNGs, and street food. Cards work at bigger hotels and some city restaurants, but never assume they will be accepted.
Getting around Bangladeshi cities means ride-hailing apps, autos, and rickshaws, and the app that makes it painless is Pathao, the local super-app that runs bikes, cars, food delivery, and parcels. In Dhaka’s traffic a Pathao motorbike often beats a car, and Uber operates too, but app guides note Pathao is faster for bikes. Every booking needs live data, which is the everyday case for a working eSIM.
For short hops you will use CNGs, the green three-wheeled auto-rickshaws named after the compressed natural gas they run on, plus cycle rickshaws for the last mile. Fares are negotiated in cash, so agree the price before you climb in. The UK government notes thieves sometimes work in pairs on motorcycles or motorised rickshaws known as CNGs, so keep your phone out of sight in traffic.
Intercity travel runs on buses, trains, and river launches, most booked in cash or through local apps like Shohoz. River and ferry travel carries real risk, and the UK government warns of dangerous overcrowding on ferries, particularly during religious holidays and festivals. Download your route and tickets offline before you set off, because signal thins out fast between towns.
Plan to run almost entirely on cash. A detailed travel money guide is clear that cash is still king and you need local taka for day-to-day travel, with rickshaws, CNGs, and street food all cash-only. Cards work at bigger hotels and some city restaurants, but never assume a card will be accepted at the point of sale.
The mobile wallets you see everywhere, bKash and Nagad, are built for residents. Mobile financial services move huge volumes, with reporting that around Tk 6,000 crore moves daily, but loading one needs a local bank account or NID, so a short-term visitor generally cannot use them. Bring undamaged US dollars to exchange, then keep small taka notes for daily spending.
ATMs are reliable in Dhaka and other cities but thin out in rural areas, so withdraw before heading to Cox’s Bazar, the Hill Tracts, or the Sundarbans. Tipping, known locally as baksheesh, is modest, and app guides note rounding up or leaving about 5 to 10% is appreciated, with many restaurants adding a service charge. Small tips to porters, drivers, and hotel staff are customary.
These are the apps travel guides consistently say first-time visitors wish they had downloaded before flying, not the ones in generic packing lists.
Tipping, known as baksheesh, is modest and common: rounding up or leaving about 5 to 10% is appreciated, and many restaurants already add a service charge. Small tips in cash to porters, drivers, and hotel staff are customary.
Bangladesh is overwhelmingly a cash economy. Bring crisp US dollars to exchange and keep small taka notes for daily spending. Cards work at bigger hotels but rarely at street level, and the bKash and Nagad wallets need a local account you cannot open as a visitor.
Six places where your mobile data will earn its keep, and where the coverage gap between providers starts to matter:
The right Bangladesh eSIM comes down to three things: how much data you will burn, which network reaches where you are going, and how long you are staying. Most travellers overbuy on data and underthink coverage.
Work through the questions below and the choice gets simple. For the general version, our guide to choosing an eSIM plan covers the basics that apply anywhere.
Maps, ride-hailing, and messaging are the daily data drains, and video is what pushes you over. For a week of Pathao rides, WhatsApp, and light browsing, 3GB to 5GB is plenty, which lines up with eSIMply’s 5GB / 30 days at $9.95 or Saily’s 5GB / 30 days at $10.99. Stream or tether often and you will want 10GB or more.
eSIMply and Airalo both name Grameenphone, the network with the widest rural reach into Cox’s Bazar, the Hill Tracts, and the Sundarbans edge. Nomad names Banglalink, while Saily, aloSIM, Jetpac, and Roamless do not disclose their Bangladesh carrier. If your trip runs beyond the cities, a Grameenphone-named plan is the safer bet.
Coverage in Bangladesh drops off fast once you leave built-up areas, and deep in the Sundarbans or the Chittagong Hill Tracts there can be no signal at all. For a Dhaka and Cox’s Bazar itinerary, any provider here works. For the delta or the hills, pick a Grameenphone-named plan and download your maps offline before you go.
If Bangladesh is your only stop, a single-country plan is cheaper and simpler than a regional Asia bundle. A regional plan only earns its price if you are also crossing into India, Nepal, or beyond on the same trip. For most visitors, the Bangladesh-only plans here are the better value.
Set the eSIM as your default data line and switch data roaming on for it before you land, then leave your home SIM in for calls and 2FA. Download offline Google Maps of Dhaka and your onward route so navigation survives the rural dead zones.
These are the questions travellers ask most before buying a Bangladesh eSIM, from which network to pick to why a plan might show No Service on arrival.
The answers below use the plans and networks in this guide, so you can act on them straight away.
Not strictly, but it saves you real hassle. Roaming on your home plan is expensive, and a local SIM means biometric fingerprint registration against your passport at the counter. An eSIM skips both: you arrive already connected, with no paperwork and no queue.
In the cities and along the main tourist routes, yes, every provider here has workable coverage. The gap opens up in the countryside, where signal deep in the Sundarbans mangroves and the Chittagong Hill Tracts can vanish entirely.
For those areas, a plan that names Grameenphone gives you the best rural reach, and you should still download maps offline before setting out.
Yes, and you should. Every provider in this guide, from eSIMply and Airalo to Nomad and Saily, sells the plan online and delivers a QR code by email. Check your phone supports eSIM, buy before you fly, scan the code, and set it to activate on arrival so you land connected.
On entry price, Jetpac’s $1.00 for 1GB over 4 days is the cheapest teaser, and eSIMply’s $2.95 for 1GB over 7 days is the lowest among the named-network plans. For a heavier month, Nomad’s 50GB / 30 days at $49.00 and aloSIM’s unlimited ladder stretch furthest.
Value depends on your route, since a cheap plan on an undisclosed network is a gamble once you leave the cities.
Bangladesh has four networks: Grameenphone, Robi, Banglalink, and Teletalk. Grameenphone leads on rural coverage and Robi on urban speed.
Among the eSIMs here, eSIMply and Airalo name Grameenphone and Nomad names Banglalink, while Saily, aloSIM, Jetpac, and Roamless do not publicly disclose their Bangladesh carrier.
Budget around 500MB to 1GB a day for maps, Pathao and Uber rides, WhatsApp, and browsing. A week runs comfortably on 3GB to 5GB, so eSIMply’s 5GB / 30 days at $9.95 or a similar mid plan covers most trips.
Add more if you stream or tether, and download Google Maps offline for the stretches with no signal.
An eSIM installs from home and skips Bangladesh’s biometric SIM registration, with plans here starting at $2.95. A local SIM is cheap and gives you a Bangladeshi number for calls and local apps, which a data-only eSIM does not.
The common fix is to run both: keep your home SIM in for calls and 2FA, and use the eSIM for data.
No. Travel eSIMs for Bangladesh are data only, so there is no local number and no cellular calls or SMS on the eSIM line. Keep your home SIM active in the second slot for calls and two-factor codes, set the eSIM as your default data, and turn roaming off on the home line.
eSIMply’s optional companion app can add calling and texting credit if you need a number while abroad.
First, turn data roaming on for the eSIM line, which is normal for a travel eSIM and costs nothing extra. If it still shows No Service, restart the phone, then manually select a network such as Grameenphone or Robi in your settings.
One caveat: if Bangladesh is in a nationwide internet shutdown, no plan can restore service until it is lifted.
Yes. Every provider in this guide allows hotspot and tethering on their Bangladesh plans, so you can share data with a laptop or a travel companion at no extra cost. Tethering burns data faster, so size up a plan if the hotspot is doing real work.
eSIMply runs its own eSIM service, and one of the plans ranked here is ours, so treat this as an informed comparison rather than a neutral one. We work in eSIM technology full-time, which means we know how each provider sources its data and which underlying network it routes through.
We may earn commission if you buy through our links, which never changes the order. Underperforming providers are left out regardless of any affiliate relationship.
Jamie has worked in telecommunications for more than 8 years across mobile, SMS, eSIM, apps, and adjacent technology. He now writes for eSIMply as the tech content writer, analysing the top eSIM providers and breaking down what travellers actually need to know.
While we do our best to ensure accuracy, prices and plan availability are subject to change. Last updated by Jamie Cole.
