For many families in the UK with relatives in Dhaka, Sylhet or Chattogram, sending flexiload is a regular part of keeping in touch. The word simply means mobile recharge in Bangladesh. This guide explains how our Bangladesh mobile top-up works from start to finish when you are ordering from Britain.
Which Bangladeshi operators can I send flexiload to?
The operator list on our Bangladesh page includes Grameenphone, Banglalink, Robi and Teletalk, and it also shows Airtel and CityCell. Every operator shares one price per taka amount, so the cost in pounds does not change with the network. Choose the operator whose SIM the person is using now, which they can confirm in a moment.
Robi and Airtel are run together in Bangladesh, so a relative may use either name for the same kind of SIM; ask them which brand is printed on the card or shown on the phone. Numbers can also be ported between operators, which means the prefix alone is not proof of the network.
Flexiload is for prepaid numbers. Postpaid connections pay a monthly bill to the operator and are not supported here.
How do I write a Bangladesh number with the +880 code?
Bangladesh uses +880. Mobile numbers are eleven digits long when written locally and start with 01, for example 01x xxxx xxxx. For an overseas recharge you remove the leading 0 and put 880 in front, which gives +880 1x xxxx xxxx. That leaves ten digits after the country code, the first of them always a 1.
- How it is usually shared: 01x xxxx xxxx
- How to type it for us: +880 1x xxxx xxxx
Be careful with three things. First, do not leave the zero after 880, as +880 01 adds a digit. Second, do not type 88 on its own; the code has three digits. Third, if the contact on your phone already shows +880, paste it as it is rather than adding the code again.
What taka amounts are available and how much are they?
You can send 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 or 1,000 BDT. Prices start at £1.60 for 100 taka and rise to £12.50 for 1,000 taka, and the same price applies to every operator in the list. The current figure for each amount is shown on the product page, so you will see it before you place the order.
| Amount sent | Price (GBP) |
|---|---|
| 100 BDT | £1.60 |
| 200 BDT | £2.80 |
| 300 BDT | £4.00 |
| 400 BDT | £5.20 |
| 500 BDT | £6.30 |
| 600 BDT | £7.50 |
| 1,000 BDT | £12.50 |
The taka value is the recharge amount passed to the operator. Any bonus, internet pack or minute offer that the recipient sees afterwards comes from the operator’s own promotions, which we do not control.
If you are helping more than one person, remember that each number is a separate item in your basket.
What should I look at before I pay for flexiload?
Run through the order once more before paying. The operator should match the SIM, the number should read 880 followed by ten digits beginning with 1, the taka amount should be the one you want, and your email address must be correct. Nearly every failed or misdirected recharge we hear about traces back to one of these four details.
- Operator chosen to match the current SIM
- Number copied from a message, not typed from memory
- Amount in BDT as requested
- Your email spelled correctly
How do I pay for a Bangladesh recharge by bank transfer?
You can pay by UK bank transfer or PayPal. After placing your order you will see an order number and our bank details. Send the total shown, exactly, from your UK account, and enter the order number in the payment reference. Without the reference we may struggle to identify whose money has arrived, which holds up the recharge.
Banks often add a confirmation screen the first time you pay a new account, and a few hold the first payment for a check. Both are routine. You can read a fuller explanation in our guide to how to pay by bank transfer.
When does the flexiload arrive in Bangladesh?
Your recharge is processed once your payment is confirmed. The taka is usually applied to the Bangladeshi number as part of that processing, and you will receive an email from us confirming it has been sent. Operators commonly text the recipient too. Bank security checks vary, so we cannot name a fixed time for any order.
If the person has not noticed the credit, ask them to check their balance with their operator’s code or app, or restart the handset. Should it still be missing, write to us with the order number.
What if the flexiload goes to the wrong number?
If a valid number was typed incorrectly, the credit goes to the owner of that number and the operator cannot recover it. We are therefore unable to refund a recharge sent to a wrong number entered at checkout. Taking the number straight from a message the person sent you, and reading it back digit by digit, protects against this.
If you realise before paying that something is wrong, hold off on the transfer and contact us to cancel. Once payment is confirmed and the recharge is sent, it cannot be undone.
Supporting people in other countries as well? Read our article on topping up a phone abroad covers the general approach.
Frequently asked questions
Is flexiload the same as a mobile top-up?
Yes. Flexiload is the common term in Bangladesh for adding prepaid credit to a mobile number.
Does Grameenphone cost more than Banglalink?
No. On our Bangladesh flexiload page each taka amount is priced the same for every operator.
Can I send 1,000 taka as two smaller recharges?
Yes. You could add two 500 BDT items for the same number, although one 1,000 BDT recharge is simpler.