To send SMS to Bangladesh from abroad, use a platform that connects directly to Bangladeshi operators and supports local sender IDs. With GotiSMS, a business located anywhere in the world can sign up, top up a prepaid wallet in Taka, and send bulk SMS or API messages to Bangladeshi mobile numbers on Grameenphone, Robi, Airtel, Banglalink and Teletalk. This guide explains how it works and what to plan for.

Who needs to send SMS to Bangladesh from another country?

Many businesses serve Bangladeshi customers without being based in Bangladesh:

  • Remittance and money transfer companies sending transfer confirmations and pickup codes to recipients' families.
  • Travel agencies and airlines sending booking confirmations, flight changes and visa reminders.
  • E-commerce and cross-border sellers sending order, shipping and delivery updates.
  • Diaspora businesses, such as grocery exporters, gift and cake delivery services, and community organisations.
  • Software and app companies with Bangladeshi users that need OTP and account alerts.
  • Recruitment agencies, education consultants and universities contacting applicants in Bangladesh.

Why not just use an international SMS provider?

Global SMS providers can send to Bangladesh, but local rules and routes matter here. In Bangladesh, branded sender IDs need approval, promotional content is reviewed, and promotional sending is limited to set hours. A provider that focuses on Bangladesh handles these steps directly with operators, and routes masking messages through the recipient's own operator.

GotiSMS is built only for Bangladeshi numbers. It does not send to other countries, which keeps the product, pricing and support focused on one market. You can be anywhere; your recipients must be in Bangladesh.

How does sending to Bangladesh from abroad work?

  1. Sign up online at gotisms.com/register. There is no requirement to be located in Bangladesh.
  2. Top up your wallet in Bangladeshi Taka (BDT). See payment options below.
  3. Choose a sender. Start immediately with the default non-masking sender, or request a masking sender ID with your brand name.
  4. Send from the dashboard or integrate the SMS API into your systems.
  5. Track delivery on the Campaigns page or through the API's reports endpoints.

Can I use a local sender ID?

Yes. A masking sender ID shows your brand name, up to 11 letters, as the sender. For a foreign business this is valuable: recipients in Bangladesh see a name they recognise rather than an unfamiliar international number, which builds trust and helps them avoid scams.

Each sender ID needs approval by staff and operators before use. Apply early and be ready to show that the brand is yours. While you wait, the default non-masking sender works on every network. Compare the two in Masking vs Non-Masking SMS.

How do I pay from outside Bangladesh?

The GotiSMS wallet is prepaid in BDT. You can top up online with bKash, or by bank transfer, cash or manual Send Money with proof of payment that our staff verify. If you are abroad and do not have a bKash account, bank transfer is usually the most practical route. Email support@gotisms.com or use the contact page to confirm the best option for your situation before your first top-up.

Paying in Taka also makes costs predictable. Indicative rates start from ৳0.18–0.25 per non-masking SMS and ৳0.40–0.60 per masking SMS, with final rates depending on traffic, route and operator mix. See pricing.

Can I use the API from any country?

Yes. The REST API works from any server with internet access. You send a JSON request to:

POST https://api.gotisms.com/api/messages/send

with Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY, Content-Type: application/json and an Idempotency-Key header, so a retry after a network timeout never sends or charges twice. This matters more when your servers are far from Bangladesh and cross-border connections are less predictable.

A few points for international teams:

  • Number formats: the API accepts 01712345678, 8801712345678 or +8801712345678. If your CRM stores numbers in international format, you can send them as they are.
  • Batching: up to 1,000 recipients per request, with a default rate limit of 300 requests per minute per key.
  • IP allow-list: lock your API key to your cloud servers' IP addresses, wherever they are hosted.
  • Delivery reports: "accepted" means the network took the message, not that it was delivered. Read delivery status later through the reports endpoints.

Code examples in cURL, PHP, Node.js and Python are in our API integration tutorial, and the full reference is at /docs/sms-api.

What about time zones?

Your recipients live on Bangladesh time, so plan around it.

  • Transactional and OTP messages can be sent at any time. A transfer confirmation or login code at 2 a.m. is fine.
  • Promotional SMS may only be sent between 09:00 and 21:00 Bangladesh time, and each campaign's exact text is submitted for operator approval first. If you are in London, New York or Dubai, convert the window to your local time and schedule campaigns accordingly. The dashboard's scheduled sends help here.

Should messages be in Bangla or English?

It depends on your recipients. Remittance recipients and family members may prefer Bangla; app users and business contacts may be comfortable with English. Bangla is sent as Unicode, at 70 characters per single SMS versus 160 in English, and billing is per part. Read Bangla SMS character limits before writing your templates.

Compliance checklist for foreign senders

  • Message only people who have given you their Bangladeshi number and agreed to hear from you.
  • Identify your business clearly in each message.
  • Offer an opt-out for promotional messages.
  • Follow BTRC and operator rules; these can change, so confirm current requirements with GotiSMS before large campaigns.
  • Keep your API key secret and stored on your servers only.

Frequently asked questions

Can a company outside Bangladesh open a GotiSMS account?

Yes. Businesses located anywhere in the world can sign up and send SMS to Bangladeshi mobile numbers.

Can GotiSMS send to numbers outside Bangladesh?

No. GotiSMS delivers only to Bangladeshi mobile numbers, on Grameenphone, Robi (including Airtel), Banglalink and Teletalk.

Which currency do I pay in?

The wallet is prepaid in Bangladeshi Taka (BDT). Top up with bKash, bank transfer, cash or manual Send Money with proof.

Can recipients see my brand name instead of a number?

Yes, with an approved masking sender ID of up to 11 letters.

When can I send promotional SMS from abroad?

Only between 09:00 and 21:00 Bangladesh time, after the campaign text is approved. Transactional and OTP have no time window.

Reach customers and families in Bangladesh from wherever your business is based. Create your GotiSMS account and send to every Bangladeshi operator today.