The smartphone as democracy's gateway

When Rashida, a domestic worker in Dhaka, received her first digital wage payment through bKash in 2020, she didn't realise she was part of a revolution. Within months, she learnt to save digitally, send remittances, and eventually start a small snack business accepting mobile payments. Her story, repeated millions of times across Bangladesh, reveals a profound truth: what began as a simple communication device has become something far more powerful—a symbol of democracy—pulling millions from economic invisibility into financial citizenship.

In rural and urban Bangladesh alike, a quiet revolution is unfolding—one smartphone at a time. For 180 million people, the smartphone is no longer just technology; it is voice, identity, and a pathway to opportunity. Built on the vision of Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus through Grameen Bank and Grameenphone, Bangladesh has shown how technology can uplift the most vulnerable. Today, over 40 million people use bKash, and mobile financial service (MFS) accounts exceed 191 million—reflecting widespread adoption and multiple accounts per person. This signals the rise of a new economic democracy powered by mobile technology.

Democracy is participation—the ability of every citizen to shape their own destiny. For decades, millions remained voiceless, not from lack of ambition but from lack of access. Smartphones have shattered that barrier. A day labourer in Sylhet can send money home instantly; a woman in Rangpur can sell handmade crafts online; and a rickshaw-puller in Chattogram can access government services without travelling long distances. With 45 per cent of the population online and around 40–45 per cent owning smartphones, mobile devices are dismantling traditional barriers to information, markets, and opportunity.

Bangladesh's digital story is inseparable from bKash. What began as a money transfer service has become the backbone of economic empowerment. Rashida's journey from wage earner to entrepreneur illustrates how smartphones create pathways to independence that never existed before. Today, she mentors other domestic workers in using digital tools, multiplying the impact of her transformation. Despite representing just 2.19 per cent of the world's population, Bangladesh accounts for 3.8 per cent of global mobile money users via bKash and 3.5 per cent of global MFS agents—a testament to the country's financial inclusion.

Smartphones have broken down barriers to the formal economy. Bangla-language interfaces and voice commands overcome linguistic obstacles, while e-commerce bridges geographic divides. Mohammad Hassan, a farmer in Mymensingh, now checks crop prices online, connects directly with buyers, and accesses weather forecasts. His income has risen by 40 per cent—not from harder labour, but from smarter access. Women, too, have embraced digital tools. Salma Khatun, a widow in Barishal, launched a tailoring business using social media for marketing, WhatsApp for orders, and bKash for payments. What began as survival became a thriving enterprise, employing other women and strengthening community resilience.

Technology's power emerges through network effects—when adoption by many multiplies value for all. As smartphones reach critical mass, communities transform. Farmers reduce exploitation by comparing prices; rural women build credit histories through mobile savings; street vendors expand their customer bases while reducing cash-related risks; and small farmers receive direct payments, bypassing middlemen. These are collective gains reshaping local economies.

The ripple effects extend even further. Rural entrepreneurs create jobs and boost local consumption. Telecom expansion and digital services generate hundreds of thousands of jobs—from mobile money agents to app developers, digital marketers, and tech support specialists. Entirely new employment categories are emerging, creating economic multipliers that sustain communities and drive inclusive growth.

This is more than technology—it is economic citizenship. Millions once excluded are now active participants in markets, creators of content, and contributors to growth. With 238 million MFS accounts, Bangladesh has built financial resilience—the ability to withstand shocks using diverse tools. Digital citizens are now integral to sustaining growth, particularly evident during COVID-19, when digital payments kept commerce flowing.

Bangladesh's smartphone revolution stands among the most significant democratic transformations in modern history. By giving voice to the voiceless, access to the excluded, and opportunity to the marginalised, smartphones have created millions of economic citizens. For Bangladesh's people, the smartphone is more than a device—it is democracy's gateway. It enables entrepreneurship, access to services, and the power to shape one's destiny. The millions carrying connectivity in their pockets are not just users—they are the architects of a new economic democracy that will define Bangladesh's future.

Md Mahmudul Hasan is a digital banking and fintech strategist. He can be reached at hasan_syd21@yahoo.com.au

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.