Bangladesh SIM Cards: Everything You Need To Know

Visiting Bangladesh soon? Make sure to know what to expect when it comes to purchasing a Bangladesh SIM card.

Before you read this guide, you may wonder if you actually need a SIM card in Bangladesh. If you don’t mind not having Internet, you’ll likely find free Wifi in restaurants, shopping malls, and hotels.

That said, if you need data to get around, call a cab, or translate Bengali – you may want to get a SIM card for your travels in Bangladesh.

Best SIM Cards In Bangladesh

If you’re traveling in Bangladesh, we recommend using a SIM card from Skitto, Airtel, Robi, or Airalo. (I’ll get back to Airalo later on, so keep reading to learn more!)

That said, if you’re planning on visiting other countries during your Asia trip, you might want to make sure to pick an option that offers coverage in other Asian countries.

How To Buy A SIM Card In Bangladesh

You can either buy a Bangladesh prepaid SIM card in person in some international airports, mobile provider stores, convenience stores, or online.

Usually, you can expect higher costs and low data offers at the airport, so we don’t recommend buying a SIM card at the airport.

That said, you won’t necessarily find SIM card shops in every airport, so it’s essential to keep this in mind. And, when you see a shop, you might also have limited options.

For this reason, I’d recommend buying a SIM card directly from the mobile provider store. Note that you may need your passport to buy one.

Although, this means you won’t get data right upon your arrival. So, if you prefer to be connected at all times, you could use an eSIM or purchase an Asia prepaid SIM card online.

Now, let’s take a look at the data plans offered by Skitto, Airtel, and Robi.

Skitto SIM Cards

Skitto offers a variety of prepaid SIM card plans on their app. The most relevant for tourists include:

• 1.5 GB data, valid for 7 days BDT 89 ($0.82)
• 3 GB data, valid for 7 days BDT 104 ($0.96)
• 7 GB data, valid for 30 days BDT 498 ($4.60)

Airtel SIM Cards

Airtel has several different prepaid plans available:

• 3 GB data, valid for 7 days BDT 24 ($0.22)
• 6 GB data, valid for 15 days BDT 5 ($0.04)

Robi SIM Cards

Robi offers a number of SIM-only plans for tourists:

• 2 GB data, valid for 7 days BDT 42 ($0.39)
• 4 GB data, valid for 15 days BDT 82 ($0.76)

Overall, we think Airtel is the cheapest option if you plan to buy your SIM card in person. That said, any would do if you can’t find their store! 

How To Buy A Bangladesh Prepaid SIM Card Online

If you wish to have your SIM card ready for your arrival, you could purchase it online or on websites like Amazon.

You’ll find different plans on Amazon. For example, Orange Holiday World SIM works in more than 100+ countries and gives you up to 10 GB of data for 14 days. Bangladesh is included.

But there are many other options worth considering, so have a look and make sure the countries you plan on visiting are listed.

Browse your options on Amazon

Another option is to purchase a prepaid Tourist SIM card on SimCorner. They currently offer 1 plan that covers Bangladesh:

• 6 GB, valid for 15 days for $32

Browse your options on SimCorner

Finally, the last option is to buy an eSIM card for Bangladesh or, if you’re traveling to multiple countries, an eSIM plan for Asia.

How To Buy An eSIM Card For Bangladesh

eSIM is a new concept that allows you to have a virtual SIM card inside your phone. If your mobile phone supports eSIM cards – it’s definitely one of the best options to get data in Bangladesh.

Curious? Learn more about eSIMs for travelers on eSIM Roamers.

I started using eSIM as soon as my mobile phone supported it. And I first tried it when visiting my family in Canada. To buy eSIMs, I usually use Airalo. Keep reading to learn more about the best eSIMs for Bangladesh.

Airalo Bangladesh

If you want to buy an eSIM for Bangladesh, you could purchase one on Airalo. This website offers many eSIM cards worldwide and special plans for Asia and Bangladesh. I’ve been using Airalo for several months, and it works fine.

Here are the options available:

• 1 GB, valid for 7 days for $4.50
• 2 GB, valid for 15 days for $7
• 3 GB, valid for 30 days for $9.50
• 5 GB, valid for 30 days for $13
• 10 GB, valid for 30 days for $21
• 20 GB, valid for 30 days for $32

Go to Airalo

Holafly Bangladesh

Alternatively, you could look at your options on Holafly. You can read our Holafly review to learn more about this eSIM store.

Here’s an overview of their plans for Bangladesh:

• Unlimited data, valid for 5 days for $29
• Unlimited data, valid for 7 days for $37
• Unlimited data, valid for 10 days for $44
• Unlimited data, valid for 15 days for $47
• Unlimited data, valid for 20 days for $59
• Unlimited data, valid for 30 days for $79

Go to Holafly

Final Thoughts On SIM Cards In Bangladesh

As you can see, getting a prepaid SIM card in Bangladesh or even an eSIM for your travels in Bangladesh is pretty straightforward.

You’ll even be able to stay connected wherever you go in Asia without changing your SIM card, especially if you purchase an Asia plan.

I believe the eSIM card is the most convenient way to get data in Bangladesh if you wish to have data upon your arrival.

This way, you won’t need to go to a store to buy a SIM card. Obviously, you need to make sure your mobile phone supports eSIM first.

Traveling to Asia soon? Read one of the following blog posts:

• India SIM cards
• Nepal SIM cards
• China SIM cards