The country鈥檚 internet penetration rate has continued to decline gradually in the past three months.
According to data from the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission, internet penetration rate dropped from 76.05 per cent in November 2024 to 75.04 per cent in December and further down to 74.40 per cent in January 2025.
Before November, the internet penetration rate fell from 80.60 per cent in August to 79.48 per cent in September and further down to 78.61 per cent in October.
Internet penetration rate means the percentage of people in a country who use the internet.
This figure represents the proportion of the population with internet access, reflecting slowdown in connectivity expansion.
The downward trend suggests that the growth rate is failing to keep pace with population increases and the need for widespread internet accessibility.
Mobile broadband subscriptions, a major driver of internet penetration, also saw a decline during this period.
The total number of mobile broadband users decreased from 98.93 million in November to 98 million in December, falling further to 96.97 million in January.
Mobile broadband subscriptions are the number of people using the internet on their phones through mobile networks.
4G technology remains the dominant one, with 106.15 million subscribers in January 2025, slightly down from 106.03 million both in December and November.
Meanwhile, 3G subscriptions have continued their steady decline, dropping from 3.25 million in November and December to 3.20 million in January.
Fixed broadband services, primarily catering to households and businesses, maintained a relatively stable penetration rate.
The fixed broadband penetration rate stood at 7.87 per cent in November but saw a slight increase to 8.03 per cent in December and remained at the same level in January.
Fixed broadband penetration rate shows how many homes and businesses have internet through cables or fiber, not mobile networks.
Teledensity, which measures total voice and internet subscriptions as a percentage of the population, also declined during this period.
This decline aligns with the overall reduction in internet penetration and mobile broadband subscriptions, highlighting a broader trend of slowing connectivity growth in the country.
The sustained decline across multiple key indicators raises concerns about the accessibility and affordability of internet services.
Experts suggest that improving network quality, reducing costs, and expanding infrastructure will be crucial in reversing this trend and ensuring broader digital inclusion.