Male mobile phone ownership has dropped by 4 percent in a year
In a span of one year, both mobile phone and internet usage has increased in the country. However, gender-wise mobile ownership has decreased among adult men and women. At the national level in 2022, the proportion of the national population in mobile phone ownership was 73.8 percent. In 2023, it has slightly increased to 74.2 percent.
Among them, women’s mobile phone ownership increased by 1.4 percent to 47.4 percent and male mobile phone ownership decreased by 4.4 percent to 68.2 percent compared to the previous year. Similarly, the rate of mobile usage among men and women has decreased steadily since 2020. For men, the rate of mobile use has decreased by 1.1 percent in four years. In case of women, it is 5 percent. At the same time, mobile usage has decreased by 1.2 percent nationally.
However, the percentage of mobile phone users above 5 years of age increased to 59.9 percent in 2023 by 3.3 percent. Their rate has increased by 10.7 percent in one year in the use of internet. As such, 45.7 percent of the country’s children and adolescents use the Internet. Among them, 51.9 percent are boys and 39.7 percent are girls. In rural areas this rate is 48.5 percent and 35.9 percent respectively.
On the other hand, 50.1 percent of over 15-year-olds use the Internet. This number increased by 4.6 percent in one year. 58 percent of users are male and 42.9 percent are female. In the village, this rate is male 54.3; Female 38.3 and male 69.8 in the city and female 56 percent.
- In 2023, 51.9 percent of male Internet users are over 5 years old, 39.7 percent of female users.
- 35.9 percent of village women above 5 years old uses internet. In the city, this rate is 51.9 percent.
- 50.1 percent of internet users in the country are above 15 years old. 56 percent of urban women in this age group, 38.3 percent in rural areas.
These data are known from the results of ‘Bangladesh Sample Vital Statistics 2023’. This Statistics say that the total population of the country is now 17 crore 15 lakh 90 thousand. Among them, 47.8 percent make financial transactions on mobile phones. This number increased by 4.9 percent in one year. Among them, 35.4 percent are women and 61.2 percent are women.
This information was presented at the Bangladesh Sample Vital Statistics 2023 report release ceremony on Sunday (March 24) at BBS Auditorium in Agargaon of the capital. State Minister for Planning Md. Shahiduzzaman Sarkar was present as the chief guest in the event.
Secretary of Statistics and Information Management Department Dr. Shahnaz Arefin was present as the special guest. BBS DG Mohammad Mizanur Rahman presided over the event. Project Director Md. Alamgir Hossain presented the keynote at the event.
According to the report Md. Alamgir Hossain said that although the population of the country has increased by 1.7 million in one year, the expected average life expectancy of people has not increased. The number of young people not in education, work or training decreased slightly. It was 40.67 percent in 2022 and 39.88 percent in 2023.
Meanwhile, the ‘Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Usage Survey 2023’ survey published in July last year says that currently 43.6 percent of households in the country are using the Internet. In 2022, this rate was 38.1 percent. And at that time, 63.1 percent of Internet users were urban, and the remaining 37.1 percent were from rural towns. That is, the number of Internet users in the country increased by 5 percentage points in one year. According to that report, 97.9 percent use mobile phones at household level. Among them, 63.3 percent households use smartphones. At the individual level, 90.5 percent use mobile phones, but the rate of people who have their own mobile phones is 63.8 percent. 44.5 percent of people use the Internet, this rate is 7.9 percent for computer use.
Also, 14.9 percent of households use radio, 62.2 percent use television and 8.9 percent of households use computers. And 0.7 percent of households use fixed phones, but 99.1 percent of households have electricity. And at the household level mobile phone users are highest in Khulna division 99.2 percent, lowest in Sylhet division at 92.4 percent. Besides, 14.6 percent of computer users are in Dhaka division. The lowest is 3.9 percent in Sylhet division.