Dhaka eSIM — plans from ₹299.00

Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (DAC) sits on the northern side of the city, and the distance to the centre is measured in traffic rather than kilometres; a ten-kilometre transfer can take an hour or considerably more. That single fact makes arriving connected worth more in Dhaka than almost anywhere. Bangladeshi operators sell tourist SIMs at the airport, but the country requires biometric registration for mobile numbers, which means fingerprints and a passport at the counter and a queue that moves at its own pace. An eSIM installed at home over Wi-Fi removes that from your first hour entirely; it activates when your phone first registers on a Bangladeshi network, with validity starting at that connection. Data on the forecourt lets you book through Uber or Pathao, both widely used in Dhaka, rather than negotiating at the rank. The elevated metro rail across the city is a genuine alternative on some routes. Plans are on the Bangladesh eSIM page.

Bangladesh has several national operators and Dhaka is thoroughly covered by them on 4G, which is the standard you should plan around across the city. Density is the real issue rather than reach. In Gulshan, Motijheel and Farmgate at peak hours the towers are carrying enormous numbers of users at once, and speeds drop noticeably even with full bars showing. The metro rail runs on an elevated viaduct rather than in tunnels, so coverage on board is normal and often better than at street level. Day trips hold up reasonably: Sonargaon, Savar and the Padma Bridge road stay connected, while river routes into the delta and the longer run towards Sylhet have thinner stretches between towns.

Download Dhaka offline, because the useful navigation here is at the level of lanes and landmarks rather than main roads, and because you will be routing around blocked streets. Keep data on for ride-hailing, for the mobile financial services that many small vendors prefer, and for translation of Bengali signage with a camera translator. Hotel Wi-Fi in the business districts is good; café Wi-Fi elsewhere is inconsistent, so a phone hotspot is the dependable laptop option. Power cuts still happen, so carry a power bank. One practical note: hours spent in a car with maps, music and messaging running is one of the most data-hungry travel patterns there is, so size your plan accordingly. See Asia destinations for more.