Digital divide looms as broadband connectivity remains low

Digital divide among urban and rural people is still high as the ratio of broadband internet users and total internet users remains in “single digit” even after the allocation of huge amounts of money for boosting internet connectivity over the last one decade, according to industry insiders.

The number of broadband connections reached 13.44 million by the end of March this year, which serves 9.97% of the total 134.7 million internet users in the country, according to the Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (BTRC).

The broadband connectivity was 12.05% in March 2023.

“Broadband connectivity is the driving force of any developing economy like Bangladesh. We cannot achieve the sustainable development goals without strengthening broadband connectivity. The growth of broadband connectivity is not satisfactory amid investment of Tk7,000 crore over the last one decade by the government,” Emdadul Hoque, president of Internet Service Provide Association of Bangladesh (ISPAB), told the Daily Sun.

Bangladesh will celebrate the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day on Friday along with other member countries of the United Nations marking the founding of International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

The internet service providers’ data shows that there are 20 million broadband connections across the country, 30% of which are in villages, while 70% are in cities, according to ISPAB. Of the 20 million broadband connections, 5 million are illegal, said sources.

The government implemented projects like “Info Sarkar” under the ICT Division and MOTN under Bangladesh Telecommunication Company Limited (BTCL) to increase broadband penetration.

Regarding the digital divide, former telecom minister Mustafa Jabbar said the digital divide between the rural and urban areas is unacceptable as the government has been trying to strengthen connectivity across the country.

“I can say about the progress during my tenure from 2018 to 2023, when the country witnessed high-speed connectivity in villages. Around 98.2% of the country is covered by 4G mobile internet. The internet price in Bangladesh is comparatively lower in the region,” Mustafa Jabbar told the Daily Sun.