Mobile data access set to expand sharply
Around 7 crore mobile phone users in Bangladesh could be brought under mobile data network coverage within the next six to 12 months, as the government seeks to expand digital access among millions still dependent on 2G and feature phones.
Rehan Asif Asad, adviser to the Prime Minister on Posts and Telecommunications, said nearly half of the country’s estimated 14 crore mobile users still rely on 2G devices, making an immediate transition to smartphones unrealistic.
“Of the around 14 crore mobile phone users in the country, nearly half still use 2G phones.
We cannot bring these 7 crore people onto smartphones overnight. But we can bring them under data networks within the next six to 12 months,” he said.
He made the remarks at a roundtable titled “Spectrum for a Connected Bangladesh: Enabling Internet for All”, organised by the Telecom and Technology Reporters Network Bangladesh (TRNB) at the Holiday Inn in Tejgaon on Saturday.
Rehan said wider availability of affordable smartphones, coupled with easy instalment facilities, could help millions of people enter the country’s digital ecosystem.
He said discussions on making low-cost smartphones more accessible began about two weeks before the national budget, involving manufacturers and other industry stakeholders.
“Manufacturers came forward and demonstrated that it is possible to produce such phones,” he said.
Affordable smartphones in focus
The initial discussions explored whether a smartphone could be manufactured for around Tk 3,000.
However, manufacturers prepared a bill of materials within seven days and determined that producing a device at that price was not commercially feasible.
They subsequently concluded that a suitable smartphone could be produced for between Tk 5,000 and Tk 6,000, according to the adviser.
Rehan said a review of smartphone markets in several countries showed that Reliance in India offers one of the lowest-priced Android smartphones, costing around $39.
He said the device uses a hybrid design, combining a touchscreen covering roughly two-thirds of the front with a physical keypad occupying the remaining section.
Reducing the screen size and adding a keypad lowers production costs by about $6, he said.
Bangladeshi manufacturers are now exploring a similar design for the domestic market.
“Our manufacturers have been working in this industry for around 30 years. Two weeks ago, they came back and said they could produce a similar phone using the Reliance model for $50-$55, or around Tk 5,500 to Tk 6,000,” Rehan said.
The initiative is intended to reduce the cost barrier to smartphone ownership while expanding access to mobile internet among users currently dependent on basic handsets.
Industry calls for wider digital access
The roundtable was moderated by TRNB President SM Masuduzzaman Robin.
Robi Axiata Managing Director and CEO Ziad Shatara, who is also president of the Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh (AMTOB), Banglalink CEO Johan Buse, Grameenphone CEO Yasir Azman, AMTOB Secretary General Lt Col Mohammad Zulfikar, Banglalink Chief Corporate and Regulatory Officer Taimur Rahman, Grameenphone Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Tanvir Mohammad, Robi Axiata Chief Corporate and Regulatory Officer Shahed Alam and FICCI Executive Director TIM Nurul Kabir, among others, took part in the discussion.
Telecommunications expert Md Munir Hasan presented the keynote paper, while TRNB General Secretary Faruk Hossain delivered the welcome address.
The discussions focused on spectrum and connectivity, with participants highlighting the need to make mobile data and internet-enabled devices more affordable to ensure broader participation in Bangladesh’s digital economy.
