In Bangladesh, up to 93% of mobile internet users engage in activities such as watching videos and making video calls online. Additionally, 87% use mobile internet for social media and instant messaging, 84% for online entertainment, 53% for online product services, 49% for online financial services, 48% for government services and education, and 56% for searching information online.
Statistics indicate that 80% of urban residents own mobile phones, with only 43% using the internet. Similarly, 73% of rural residents own mobile phones, but only 27% use the internet. However, 81% of urban residents and 72% of rural residents are aware of the internet. Consequently, 40% of urban residents and 24% of rural residents use the internet daily. On the other hand, 38% of urban residents and 18% of rural residents use the internet irregularly. Additionally, 19% of urban residents and 28% of rural residents are indifferent to using mobile internet. The primary reasons for this are the affordability of mobile internet and concerns over security and safety.
This information was revealed in the “State of Mobile Internet Connectivity 2024” report published in October by the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA), a global organization of mobile service providers.
The survey shows that most people in Bangladesh are aware of mobile internet, but do not use it. A major barrier to mobile internet usage among both urban and rural populations is the lack of literacy and digital skills. For urban residents, security is the main concern, while for rural residents, affordability is the primary issue.
According to the report, mobile phone usage in rural areas of Bangladesh decreased between 2022 and 2023, in contrast to urban areas. During the same period, smartphone usage declined by 10%, and feature phone usage declined by 15%. However, rural residents are more interested in using mobile internet than urban residents. While 41% of urban residents and 26% of rural residents use smartphones, 43% of urban residents and 27% of rural residents use mobile internet. On a weekly basis, 8.2% of urban users and 8% of rural users engage in mobile internet activities. Among them, 7.3% are women and 8.6% are men. As for age, 8.3% of users fall within the 18-34 age range, and 7.5% are over the age of 35.
The survey included people from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, Ethiopia, Uganda, Guatemala, and Mexico. Data was collected from 1,000 individuals in each country, except for India and Ethiopia.
