Hermes Agent Bangladesh for WhatsApp: Integration Guide 2026

WhatsApp is one of the most widely used messaging platforms in Bangladesh, making it a natural channel for AI automation. Hermes Agent Bangladesh supports WhatsApp integration via the WhatsApp Business API — but because WhatsApp requires an approved Business Service Provider (BSP), the setup is slightly more involved than the one-click Telegram connection.

This guide walks through the complete process.

Understanding WhatsApp Business API

WhatsApp does not allow bots on personal accounts or the free WhatsApp Business app. To connect an AI agent, you need access to the WhatsApp Business API, which requires:

1. A verified Facebook Business Manager account
2. A WhatsApp Business API account (applied through Meta directly or via a BSP)
3. A dedicated phone number for your business WhatsApp account

Two common BSP options for Bangladesh businesses: Twilio (global, easier approval for new businesses) and 360dialog (popular in Asia, competitive pricing).

Option A: Twilio WhatsApp Sandbox (Development Testing)

For testing Hermes before full WhatsApp Business API approval, Twilio offers a sandbox environment:

1. Create a free Twilio account at twilio.com
2. Go to Messaging → Try it out → Send a WhatsApp message
3. Follow the sandbox join instructions (send a message from your WhatsApp to activate)
4. Set the "When a message comes in" webhook URL to your Hermes endpoint (provided in your Hermes dashboard)
5. Test: messages to the Twilio sandbox number forward to Hermes, which replies

The sandbox works for development and internal testing — customers cannot message it unless they have also joined the sandbox. For production, you need approved WhatsApp Business API access.

Option B: Production WhatsApp via 360dialog

1. Apply at 360dialog.com for WhatsApp Business API access
2. Complete the Facebook Business Manager verification (typically 1–3 business days)
3. Once approved, you receive a 360dialog API key and a WhatsApp phone number
4. In your Hermes dashboard, go to Integrations → WhatsApp → 360dialog
5. Enter your 360dialog API key and phone number ID
6. Configure the 360dialog webhook to point to your Hermes WhatsApp endpoint
7. Test with a real WhatsApp message

Configuring Hermes for WhatsApp Conversations

WhatsApp conversations have specific characteristics to configure in Hermes:

Message Templates

WhatsApp requires pre-approved message templates for outbound messages (messages you initiate). For inbound customer messages (customers contact you first), Hermes can reply freely within a 24-hour session window. Configure your agent to primarily handle inbound queries — this avoids the template approval process for most customer service use cases.

Character Limits

WhatsApp messages display best under 1,000 characters. Update your Hermes system prompt to include: "Keep responses under 200 words. Use plain text formatting — WhatsApp does not support HTML."

Bangla on WhatsApp

WhatsApp natively supports Bangla script — customers can message in Bangla and Hermes will reply in Bangla correctly. No additional configuration needed beyond what is described in the Bangla language setup guide.

Production Checklist Before Going Live

• WhatsApp Business API account approved and active
• Hermes system prompt tested with WhatsApp-appropriate response length
• Knowledge base populated with your FAQ, product info, and policies
• Escalation path configured (what Hermes says when it cannot answer and who gets notified)
• At least 20 test conversations run covering common customer query types
• Business profile name and WhatsApp display name match for brand consistency

Getting Started

Start with the Telegram integration (one-click, no approval required) to test and refine your Hermes configuration before investing in the WhatsApp Business API approval process. Once your Telegram agent is working well, the WhatsApp setup follows the same knowledge base and system prompt — only the channel connection differs.

Apply for the Hermes Agent Bangladesh beta to get your managed AI stack set up before connecting channels.