Half of Bangladeshis still offline despite rapid digital expansion

• Nearly half of citizens remain digitally excluded
• Household internet access declines compared to FY25
• Gender gap persists in ownership, usage
• High data taxes hinder wider connectivity

Despite more than a decade of rapid growth in internet and smartphone-based services, nearly half of Bangladesh's population remains outside the reach of the internet at the individual level, according to the latest survey by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS).

According to the BBS quarterly report on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) usage, 48.9 percent of people aged five and above were direct internet users by the end of September 2025.

At the household level, just over half of Bangladesh's households, about 56 percent, had at least one internet user during the July-September period, added the report released Wednesday.

The survey also reveals that 50.4 percent of households were internet users during the July-September quarter, compared with 55.1 percent at the end of fiscal year 2024-25 (FY25) on June 30.

This means that about half of the country's citizens are still digitally excluded, even as online services increasingly shape access to education, healthcare, finance, and government support.

The BBS survey, which gathers data from individuals aged five years and above, from 61,632 households across the country, is aimed at informing national ICT policy, as well as reporting to international platforms such as the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the SDG Tracker.

The survey also cited that around 80.6 percent people are currently using mobile phones while 56.5 percent have their own mobile phone.

While mobile phone use among men and women is almost equal – 81 percent for men and 79 percent for women – a significant gender gap persists in ownership and internet access.

About 63 percent of men own at least one mobile phone, compared to 53 percent of women. Internet use follows a similar pattern – 51.2 percent of men are online, while just over 46.3 percent of women use the internet.

The BBS survey indicates a steady rise in internet use over recent years, even with a slight decline in overall mobile phone ownership.

In 2022, internet usage rose sharply from 38.9 percent in 2022 to 48.9 percent this year.

At the household level, however, access appears broader. The survey shows that 99 percent of households have at least one mobile phone, and 72.4 percent now own a smartphone.

The survey also provides insight into access to other technologies. Television is available in 59 percent of households, radio use has dropped to 15 percent, and only 9.1 percent of households own a computer. Electricity coverage, however, is nearly universal, reaching 99 percent of households.

A clear urban-rural divide remains. Smartphone ownership is significantly higher in urban areas, where 81 percent of households have at least one device, compared to 69 percent in rural areas.

"Nearly half of Bangladesh's population still does not use the internet, and the situation is actually worse than that of our neighbouring countries," said AKM Fahim Mashroor, former president of Bangladesh Association of Software & Information Services.

In India, more than 70 percent of the population is connected to the internet, while in Pakistan the figure exceeds 60 percent.

"This is extremely disappointing for Bangladesh," he said, adding that the primary reason behind the low internet usage is the high cost of data. "Internet prices in Bangladesh are significantly higher than in many other countries, largely because of the heavy tax burden."

"Out of every Tk 100 spent on mobile data, around Tk 50 goes to the government," Mashroor said. "There is a 20 percent supplementary duty, along with VAT, revenue sharing, and spectrum-related costs. In total, more than half of the data price is absorbed by taxes and fees."

He said high prices have made internet access unaffordable for large segments of the population. "Because data is so expensive, marginalised and low-income people are simply unable to use the internet, which keeps overall usage low."

"Internet usage will not improve significantly unless smartphone penetration increases and data prices come down," he added