Steady rise in internet use in recent years: BBS
DHAKA, Dec 21, 2025 (BSS) – There has been a steady rise in internet use in recent years, with individual internet usage increasing from 44.5 percent in 2023 to 48.9 percent this year.
At the household level, technology access is wider, according to the recent ICT Access and Use Survey 2025-26 (1st quarter, July-September) report conducted by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS).
The survey indicates that 98.9 percent of households possess at least one mobile phone, and 72.4 percent now own a smartphone.
Television is available in 58.9 percent of households, while radio use has decreased to 15.1 percent, and only 9.1 percent of homes own a computer. Electricity coverage is nearly universal, reaching 98.9 percent of households.
There is a noticeable urban-rural divide in smartphone ownership, which is significantly higher in towns and cities, where 80.8 percent of households have at least one device, compared to 68.8 percent in rural areas.
The BBS survey encompassed around 61,632 households across the country to inform national ICT policy and international platforms, such as the International Telecommunication Union and the SDG Tracker.
Findings indicate that online services increasingly influence access to education, healthcare, finance, and government support.
By the end of September this year, 48.9 percent of people aged five and above were direct internet users.
At the household level, just over half of homes, approximately 56.2 percent, had at least one internet user during the July-September period.
At the individual level, the survey revealed that 80.6 percent of people use mobile phones, while 56.5 percent own their own devices.
Usage among men and women is nearly equal, with 80.9 percent for men and 78.8 percent for women. However, there is a gender gap in handset ownership and internet access.
About 63.2 percent of men own a mobile phone compared to 52.8 percent of women. Similarly, internet use shows a comparable disparity, with 51.2 percent of men online versus 46.3 percent of women.
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