Agrilife desk:Banglalink is participating in Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2026 in Barcelona, joining global industry leaders to showcase Bangladesh’s advancing digital landscape and explore the next phase of AI-powered digital transformation.
Owned by VEON, a NASDAQ-listed global digital operator headquartered in the UAE, Banglalink is part of a group serving customers across five frontier markets with a combined population of 530 million people.
Hosted by the GSMA, MWC is widely regarded as the world’s premier connectivity event, attracting more than 100,000 participants from over 200 countries. This year’s theme, “The IQ Era,” underscores how artificial intelligence is redefining network intelligence, digital platforms, and embedded financial services.
During the four-day event, Banglalink and VEON officials are holding bilateral meetings with global technology partners and development institutions, including the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation, to explore collaboration on digital infrastructure, financial inclusion, and AI-driven innovation frameworks.
At MWC 2026, VEON Group CEO Kaan Terzioğlu delivered a keynote titled “Transforming Tomorrow’s Connected World,” highlighting that long-term relevance in telecom depends on embedding digital services into everyday life, not just providing connectivity. This vision reflects VEON’s DO1440 strategy, focused on remaining relevant to customers every minute of the day.
“At its core is a simple principle of putting the customer first. By leveraging AI-powered digital solutions, VEON integrates financial services, healthcare, education, entertainment, and mobility into seamless daily digital experiences that simplify lives and expand opportunity.”
Johan Buse, Chief Executive Officer of Banglalink, said the AI era marks a pivotal moment for Bangladesh’s digital journey. “As intelligence becomes embedded in networks and services, telecom operators are evolving beyond traditional connectivity to enable economic participation and expand digital and financial inclusion. For Bangladesh, the convergence of AI, connectivity, and digital platforms presents a significant opportunity. Through partnerships and innovation, we can accelerate inclusive growth, deepen financial access, and help build a resilient, future-ready digital economy.”
Banglalink’s strategy reflects the broader industry shift toward intelligent, platform-based ecosystems. The company has integrated AI and machine learning into network planning and optimisation to enhance efficiency and service quality, while deploying AI-powered customer support tools to improve user experience. It is also expanding digital financial and lifestyle platforms as part of its evolution into an integrated digital services provider.
Over the past two decades, Banglalink has invested more than USD 2.5 billion in Bangladesh, contributed over USD 4 billion to the national exchequer, and supported approximately 10,000 direct and indirect jobs, serving more than 38 million subscribers nationwide.
