While mobile phone use is widespread in Bangladesh, nearly half of the population still does not use the Internet, according to the latest data from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS).
The BBS report showed that currently, 81 percent of the population—around 136.9 million people out of the country’s 169.8 million residents—use mobile phones. However, personal ownership of mobile phones is lower, at 57 percent, or approximately 95.9 million people.
The quarterly Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Application and Usage Survey, conducted from July to September 2025, collected data from 61,632 households, focusing on citizens aged five years and older. The survey found that individual internet use remains limited, with only 48.9 percent of people accessing the Internet personally.
The survey also revealed a gender gap in mobile phone ownership and Internet use. While mobile phone usage among men and women is nearly equal—81 percent for men and 79 percent for women—personal mobile phone ownership is higher among men (63 percent) than women (53 percent). Internet usage shows a similar pattern: 51 percent of men use the Internet compared with just over 46 percent of women.
Trends over time indicate that while Internet use has steadily increased, personal mobile phone ownership has slightly declined. In 2022, 61.8 percent of the population owned at least one personal mobile phone, compared with 57 percent by September 2025. In contrast, Internet use grew from 38.9 percent in 2022 to 48.9 percent in 2025.
The survey highlights both the growing digital connectivity and the persistent digital divide in Bangladesh, particularly in terms of personal device ownership and gender disparities.
