Dhaka, 22 August 2023: VEON Ltd. (NASDAQ: VEON, Euronext Amsterdam: VEON), a global digital operator that provides converged connectivity and online services, announces that Banglalink, its wholly owned subsidiary, has launched BiP as an exclusive offering in Bangladesh, forming a strategic partnership with BiP Messenger.

BiP, enjoyed by users spanning 192 countries, is an easy-to-use instant communication app that offers fast and secure and encrypted messaging, HD quality voice call, group video calls, instant translation in 106 different languages and additional features.  The service is available both as a mobile and a web application.

With this collaboration, VEON’s Banglalink will stand as the exclusive partner and sole entity responsible for nationwide co-branding, co-marketing, and co-promotion of BiP services in Bangladesh. Banglalink will introduce BiP-exclusive data bundles tailored specifically for its more than 40 million customers in the country.  

VEON Group CEO Kaan Terzioglu, Banglalink CEO Erik Aas, Banglalink’s Chief Commercial Officer Upanga Dutta, and BiP CEO Gokhan Yuksektepe participated in the official virtual launch event of the strategic collaboration.

Erik Aas, CEO, Banglalink, said, “At Banglalink, we are focused on expanding our digital services to meet the dynamic needs of our customers. Following the success of our digital streaming app Toffee and super-app MyBL, our collaboration with BiP is a significant step toward achieving our goal of advancing digital services in Bangladesh in line with our digital operator strategy and with our vision of contributing to the development of a Smart Bangladesh.”

Gokhan Yuksektepe, CEO, BiP, said, “We are thrilled to see BiP gaining popularity among users in Bangladesh. Our aim is to make BiP a global communication app that offers personalized local experiences. Partnering with a prominent digital operator like Banglalink aligns with this global strategy and together, we are working to enhance BiP's presence in Bangladesh.”

About VEON:
VEON is a global digital operator that currently provides converged connectivity and online services to nearly 160 million customers in six dynamic markets. We are transforming people’s lives, empowering individuals, creating opportunities for greater digital inclusion and driving economic growth across countries that are home to more than 7% of the world’s population. Headquartered in Amsterdam, VEON is listed on NASDAQ and Euronext Amsterdam. For more information, visit: www.veon.com.

About Banglalink:
Launched in February 2005, with over 40 million subscribers over a decade, Banglalink was the catalyst in making mobile telephony an affordable option for consumers in Bangladesh. The initial success of Banglalink was based on a simple mission: Bringing mobile telephony to the masses, which was the cornerstone of Banglalink’s strategy. Banglalink is now working relentlessly to bring the digital world to each and every customer, building a true digital Bangladesh and moving away from the traditional mobile operator to a tech company. Visit https://banglalink.net/

Disclaimer 
This release contains “forward-looking statements,” as the phrase is defined in Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements are not historical facts, and include statements relating to, among other things, VEON’s strategy and commercial plans. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which VEON cannot predict with accuracy and some of which VEON might not even anticipate. The forward-looking statements contained in this release speak only as of the date of this release. VEON does not undertake to publicly update, except as required by U.S. federal securities laws, any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after such dates or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Contact Information

Banglalink
Taimur Rahman
Chief Corporate and Regulatory Affairs Officer
pr@banglalink.net

VEON 
Hande Asik
Group Director of Strategic Communication 
pr@veon.com

Attachment

• Virtual launch