Internet Access: Rural connectivity rises, but still behind than cities
Staff Reporter :
More than half of all households in Bangladesh now have access to the internet, with national connectivity reaching 52 per cent by the end of December 2024, up from 50.4 per cent in the preceding quarter, according to the latest data released by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS).
The findings are based on the BBS’s quarterly ICT Access and Use Survey, which monitors digital connectivity trends across the country. The latest figures indicate continued progress in both rural and urban areas.
Rural household internet access increased from 46 per cent to 48.2 per cent during the final quarter of 2024, while urban access rose from 60.2 per cent to 61.6 per cent over the same period.
This marks a significant improvement from 2023, when fewer than 44 per cent of households were connected to the internet.
Despite this progress, the survey reveals a persistent urban-rural divide in individual internet usage. As of December 2024, only 38 per cent of individuals in rural areas reported using the internet, compared to over 68 per cent in urban areas. On a national scale, individual internet usage climbed to 47.2 per cent, up from 45.7 per cent in September 2024.
The survey also offers insights into broader digital access. Mobile phone ownership remains nearly universal, with 98.7 per cent of households reporting access to a mobile device. Of these, 72 per cent of households have at least one smartphone.
Television ownership stands at 63.6 per cent of households, whereas computer access remains relatively low, with only 9.2 per cent of households owning a computer. On an individual level, just 9 per cent of the population reports using a computer, while over 90 per cent use mobile phones, and 65 per cent personally own one.
Although 52 per cent of households now have internet access, only 47.2 per cent of individuals actively use it. The majority of users reportedly access the internet at least once daily, highlighting a growing dependency on digital connectivity for communication, information, and services.