VEON Holds First-Ever Board Meeting in Bangladesh, Showcases Banglalink's Digital Transformation

Global digital operator VEON held its first-ever board meeting in Bangladesh on 3 November 2026, putting the country's telecom and digital services sector before the company's global leadership. According to a report in The Business Standard, the meeting signals renewed attention on Bangladesh's digital sector. Following the meeting, top officials of VEON and Banglalink spoke to journalists at Dhaka's Crowne Plaza hotel on Tuesday, where VEON CEO Johan Buse highlighted Banglalink's journey from a mobile challenger to a digital operator. He said Banglalink is working with a nationwide 4G network alongside locally-built platforms. According to VEON, Banglalink is no longer just a telecom operator — it is turning into a broad digital services provider. The company claims it has invested $2.5 billion in Bangladesh, has 40 million customers, paid $4 billion in taxes and created 10,000 jobs. Under its “Digital for All” vision, Banglalink's strategy is to expand into infotainment, artificial intelligence, digital payments and technology-driven services. The meeting showcased a set of new services, including Starlink-powered direct-to-cell connectivity — reported to be the first such initiative by any telecom operator in South Asia — the AI-powered lifestyle brand RYZE for young consumers, the Toffee infotainment platform with 7 million monthly users, the affordable smartphone brand TechVan, the newly launched digital payment provider Mukto Pay and the new Mukto app. Competition among telecom operators is no longer limited to selling voice and data; diversity of digital services is becoming the key. With growing smartphone use, demand for digital payments, infotainment and AI-driven services is rising fast in the country, and Banglalink wants to strengthen its position in this market early. For Starlink-powered direct-to-cell connectivity, the company claims it is the first such initiative by any telecom operator in South Asia. This technology makes direct mobile connection with satellites possible, creating the potential to expand coverage in remote areas. The news says this technology could open new doors for the country's remote and hard-to-reach regions. The newly launched Mukto Pay has started operations as a digital payment service provider. The news says this new platform will increase competition in the country's mobile financial services market. The Mukto app was also recently launched. For the Toffee platform, 7 million users are using the service every month. The AI-powered lifestyle brand RYZE targets young consumers, while the TechVan brand's affordable smartphones are expected to expand smartphone access for low-income customers. VEON's board meeting is expected to further accelerate this transformation. By hosting its first-ever global board meeting in the country, the company highlighted Bangladesh's market as strategically important. In other fresh news the same day, the country's first ‘Bangladesh AI Business Summit 2026’ is set to be held in Dhaka on 5 November. Jointly organized by DCCI and the Ministry of Science and Technology, the summit will take place at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center in Agargaon. The news says President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has agreed to attend as chief guest. The summit, themed “AI-fication for Tomorrow's Economy,” was announced at a press conference on 3 November by Science and Technology Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam. Meanwhile, the government has set five priorities for the ICT sector — tax reform, improved connectivity, digital public infrastructure, AI skills and electronics manufacturing. Prime Minister's Adviser Rehan Asif Asad shared this at a policy dialogue in Dhaka. Various institutions have previously shown interest in Bangladesh's digital economy potential. But a global institution like VEON holding its board meeting in the country is rare. Source: The Business Standard.