Dhaka — Bangladesh has officially granted a license to tech billionaire Elon Musk’s satellite internet venture, Starlink, the country’s investment authority announced Sunday, just as steep new U.S. tariffs threaten its vital garment industry.

Starlink’s launch will be unveiled at the government-backed investment summit opening Monday in Dhaka, signaling Bangladesh’s push to attract global tech players despite growing economic pressure.

“We granted them approval,” said Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud, chairman of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority, during a press briefing. He noted the license was issued on March 28, days before U.S. President Donald Trump introduced a sweeping tariff plan that rattled global markets.

The new tariffs impose a 37 percent duty on Bangladeshi cotton garments — a significant increase from the previous 16 percent — raising alarm over the future of the country's garment sector, which is the second largest in the world.

Amid concerns, interim Bangladeshi authorities — installed after a student-led uprising ousted the former hardline government in August 2024 — are seeking U.S. diplomatic support. Interim leader and Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus convened an emergency meeting Saturday to assess the tariff’s impact.

Yunus, a global figure in social enterprise, is expected to write directly to President Trump, according to his press secretary.

The Starlink initiative, powered by a network of low Earth orbit satellites, aims to bring high-speed internet to remote and underserved areas. Musk and Yunus previously discussed the project in February, highlighting its potential to empower “Bangladesh’s enterprising youth, rural and vulnerable women, and remote communities,” according to a statement from Yunus’ media office.

Starlink's entry into Bangladesh comes as the country navigates a critical moment for its export-driven economy. The textile and garment sector accounts for roughly 80 percent of national exports, with $8.4 billion worth of garments shipped annually to the U.S., according to the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA). U.S. exports alone represent about 20 percent of Bangladesh's total ready-made garment exports.

The convergence of Musk’s high-profile tech initiative and rising geopolitical tensions is likely to place Bangladesh at the center of international trade and digital connectivity debates in the coming months.