In the quiet hours of Dhaka, Sanvy, a seventh grader from Nilkhet, sits under the dim glow of his smartphone screen, immersed in online games until 2:30 a.m. By the time morning comes, he struggles to open his eyes, often arriving late to school and battling drowsiness in class.
“Earlier, he used to sleep by 11 p.m.,” said his mother, Firoza Begum. “But since he got a smartphone, he stays awake until 2 or 3 in the morning. He complains of headaches, eye pain, and feeling sad. He can’t focus on anything properly.”
Sanvy’s story is far from unique. Across Bangladesh, adolescents are grappling with the lure of digital devices, and the consequences go beyond lost sleep. A 2024 study in PLOS ONE revealed that about 53% of Bangladeshi adolescents aged 13-17 engage in problematic smartphone use. Activities such as online gaming, scrolling through short videos, watching TikTok or reels, and chatting with friends are changing behavior, reducing sleep, and increasing mental stress.
Raida, an eighth grader in Dhanmondi, recounts her own late-night habit: “I chat with friends on my phone after everyone else has gone to sleep. I don’t even realize it’s 2 a.m.” At school, heavy eyes blur her focus. “During exams, I can’t concentrate,” she admitted.
Parents struggle to strike a balance between discipline and necessity. Ashraf Uddin, a bank officer in Nilkhet, said, “If I take the phone away, my child gets angry. Phones are needed for studying, so I can’t completely stop it. Sometimes I wake up at midnight and see light coming from his room.”
Teachers notice the impact on learning. Nasir Riaz, an English teacher at Mohammadpur Government High School, said, “In morning classes, many students rest their heads on the desk. When asked, they say they played games or watched videos last night.” Science teacher Rafiqul Islam from Azimpur added, “Previously, few students were sleepy in the morning. Now many are drowsy even in the first class. This harms the quality of education.”
A recent cross-sectional study involving 769 children aged 8–14 found that 46.9% of school-going children show “high gadget addiction,” assessed through the Problematic Media Use Measure (PMUM-SF) and PedsQL Cognitive Functioning Scale.
Pediatrician Dr. Mahbub Arshad of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University warned, “Children aged 10–16 need at least 8–10 hours of sleep. Less than that causes sudden anger, lack of concentration, memory weakness, and fatigue. Regular late-night waking disrupts hormone balance.” Psychiatrist Dr. Sara Haider added, “Excessive screen time reduces self-confidence, lowers sociability, and increases depression and anxiety. Adolescents fall into digital addiction before learning to control emotions.”
Outside Dhaka, late-night digital use is more severe. Ador, an eighth grader in Debidwar, Comilla, stays up until 3 a.m. gaming. “When everyone sleeps, the internet works better, so gaming is more fun,” he said. Missing school has become routine. Rehan, a tenth grader in Khulna, said, “If I don’t play games at night, I can’t sleep. I get headaches in the morning. But all my friends play, so not playing feels like falling behind.”
Experts point to “digital neglect,” where parents’ own smartphone habits reinforce their children’s late-night screen time. Tanjima Latif, assistant professor of psychology at Dhaka University, said, “Children imitate their parents. If parents are busy on social media at night, children see it as normal. This breaks sleep routines and reduces self-control.”
Parents recount the struggle to restore balance. Mahfuza Nazneen from Comilla said, “During load shedding, my son gets angry when his game stops. Then I realize this isn’t normal use; it’s an addiction.” Farzana Begum added, “My son used to be cheerful, but now he gets angry over minor things. Doctors say such behavior is common with poor sleep.”
Experts recommend gradual changes rather than strict control. Latif advised, “Suddenly taking the phone away can make children aggressive. Screen time should reduce gradually, and parents must follow the same routine.” Alternative activities like board games, storytelling, reading, family time, and digital detox exercises can help. Parents like Rasheda Parvin keep phones in the drawing room overnight, while Tusher Haque from Dhanmondi sets aside weekly family outings or reading sessions.
Thousands of children like Sanvy, Raida, and Ador are losing more than sleep. Their academic performance, behavior, and mental health are all at stake. Experts warn that if awareness is not raised now, late-night smartphone habits could trigger far greater crises among the next generation of adolescents.
