Visiting family in Bangladesh from the UK
A Bangladesh eSIM covers Dhaka, Sylhet and the rest of the country on one plan, so you are online from the airport for the ride home and can keep the family WhatsApp group going without a local SIM. It is data only - your UK number stays on your phone for calls and bank texts.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines flies from Heathrow to Dhaka and Sylhet, and links Manchester with Dhaka via Sylhet. Bangladesh is five hours ahead of the UK in British Summer Time and six in winter. Most sockets are universal and take a UK plug.
The "No Visa Required" stamp, or a visa
British passport holders need a visa unless their passport carries a "no visa required" stamp. British nationals of Bangladeshi origin can apply for the stamp at the Bangladesh High Commission in London: it costs £70 and takes five to seven working days in person or 21 days by post - the High Commission says it is never an urgent service, so apply well before you book. Otherwise a tourist visa from the High Commission costs £105.
A visa on arrival at Dhaka airport is possible but not guaranteed: 50 US dollars in cash, for up to 30 days, and you need a return ticket and proof of funds. Your passport needs two blank pages, and six months' validity counted from the date the visa is issued. Bangladesh also uses electronic arrival and departure cards, and you should make sure your passport is stamped on entry (gov.uk, updated 4 September 2026).
On a UK plan, EE charges £6 a day (£30 a week), O2 Travel £7, Vodafone £8 and Three £7 or £8.