Digital divide: Bangladesh sees 32 percentage points urban-rural gap in internet usage

Regional inequality in information and communication technology (ICT) use remains evident across Bangladesh, with sharp disparities across districts, gender and income levels in internet use, smartphone ownership and digital skills, the latest Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) survey shows.

The findings show that 75.7% of people use the internet nationally. However, usage in rural areas drops to 43.6%. This creates a gap of 32.1 percentage points between rural and overall usage patterns.

Nationally, 55% of households have internet connections, while 53.4% of individuals use the internet, according to the survey results released today (16 April) at the BBS auditorium in Dhaka at a programme titled "Measurement of Access and Use of Information and Communication Technology 2024-25".

For the first time, the report includes district-level data, offering a clearer picture of digital inequality.

At district level, Dhaka leads internet use with 77.1% of people, followed by Narayanganj at 77%, Cumilla at 68.6% and Chandpur at 67.2%. In contrast, Sherpur records the lowest internet usage at just 25.9%.

Officials said the survey aims to assess ICT access and usage patterns across the country. The event was attended by Statistics and Information Management Division Secretary Aleya Akhtar, while project director Syeda Marufa Shaki presented the findings.

The report further shows that nearly 73% of households own smartphones. Chattogram division leads with 86% household smartphone ownership, followed by Dhaka at 82 per cent. However, Dhaka remains ahead in overall internet usage.

Smartphone use also varies by district. Cumilla tops the list with 93.7% usage, followed by Feni at 90.6% and Dhaka at 84.7%. Panchagarh records the lowest rate at 50.1%.

Mobile phone access is nearly universal, with 98.9% of households owning at least one mobile phone. Kishoreganj reports the highest usage at 99.9%, while Narail records the lowest.

A gender gap also remains evident. Internet use stands at 56.6% among men compared to 50.2% among women. Officials said women remain underrepresented in digital access and usage.

Digital skills remain largely basic. While 84% of users can perform copy-paste tasks, only 15% can transfer files or carry out more advanced operations, indicating a significant skills deficit.

Internet use is mainly driven by information needs. About 64% of users search for government jobs, while around 50% access sports-related information. Only 11.6% use the internet for online shopping.

Cybersecurity awareness presents a mixed picture. Around 78.5% of users say they are somewhat aware of cyber threats, but 50.5% remain exposed to risks such as viruses and malicious software.

High internet cost is also a major barrier. About 43.6% of respondents said expensive internet services discourage them from using digital platforms, particularly in rural and low-income communities.

Computer access shows the widest gap. In urban areas, 21.1% of households own a computer, compared to just 3.6% in rural areas. At the individual level, usage stands at 25.6% in cities and 5% in rural areas.