Desh Bangla Desk:
Silver Line Group, one of the country’s leading business conglomerates, has launched a landmark initiative to provide free internet access for the general public and students across all unions of Bagerhat district. The program is being led by Mehdi Hassan, Director of Silver Line Group and the eldest son of the Group’s Founder and Managing Director, M.A.H. Salim, as part of the company’s corporate social responsibility activities.

Under this program, internet access points are being installed in colleges, local tea stalls (tong shops), marketplaces, and other major public gathering areas, creating a new network of digital community hubs serving both urban and rural communities.

The initiative was officially announced today, Monday, in Bagerhat. It is designed to empower students, young people, entrepreneurs, and underprivileged communities by providing access to education, information, public services, and economic opportunities in the digital age.

Mehdi Hassan, Director of Silver Line Group, said:

“In today’s world, internet access is no longer a privilege—it is a basic necessity for education, opportunity, and participation in society. We are starting by activating more than 90 major public gathering locations across Bagerhat, including tea stalls and marketplaces, while preserving the deep-rooted culture of local tea-shop hangouts — creating a community-style ‘Starbucks’ model that is free, inclusive, and open to everyone. This will make communication, learning, and people-to-people connection easier and more powerful.”

He added that the project will gradually expand into underprivileged and rural areas through shared community access zones, ensuring that no village, no student, and no citizen is left outside the digital future.

Local residents have welcomed the initiative, saying it will help young people, small traders, students, and families stay connected to education, job opportunities, public services, and the wider economy.

The rollout and expansion of this network is beginning now, as part of Silver Line Group’s long-term vision to uplift communities, bridge the digital divide, and strengthen social and economic connectivity across Bagerhat.

A spokesperson from Silver Line Group’s management summarized the philosophy behind the initiative:

“Cities are not built by buildings alone, but by the connections between their people. Connectivity is the true infrastructure of progress. When people are given access to connection, they gain the power to build their own future — and communities grow into thriving cities and economies.”

This initiative represents an investment not just in technology, but in people — and in the future of Bagerhat.