The use of information technology and mobile phones has increased in the country in the last few decades. Day by day interest in mobile usage among men is decreasing. On the other hand, the interest of women is increasing.

These data have emerged in a recently published survey report of Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS). According to the BBS report, male mobile users were 86.9 percent in 2022, which decreased to 86.5 percent in 2023. Male mobile users have decreased by 0.4 percent year-on-year.

On the other hand, the female mobile user rate was 61.4 percent in 2022, which increased to 62.8 percent in 2023. In other words, while female users have increased by 1.4 percent, male users have decreased by 0.4 percent.

Meanwhile, there was a huge disparity between rural and urban areas in terms of mobile phone usage. But day by day that disparity is disappearing. Currently, the use of mobile-internet is increasing in the villages as well as in the cities. Even the growth rate is now much higher in villages than in cities. Not only that, currently the rate of mobile phone usage is decreasing in the city. Although still mobile phone users are more in cities.

After reviewing the report of BBS, it was found that the rate of mobile users above 15 years of age in the country is 74.2 percent of the total population. In 2022, this rate was 73.8 percent. This rate is 82.7 percent in cities and 71.6 percent in villages. As such, the use of mobile phones is still high in the city. But the growth rate is higher in rural than urban.

In 2020, the mobile phone user rate in villages was 69.7 percent. In 2023, it has increased to 71.6 percent. In other words, users have increased by about two percent in three years. And in 2022 it was 71 percent. It increased by 0.6 percent during the year.

On the other hand, the rate of mobile users in the city was 83.1 percent in 2022. In 2023, it has decreased by 82.7 percent. A year-on-year decrease of 0.4 percent. And in 2020, the city had 82.5 percent mobile users. It has increased by only 0.2 percent in four years. In other words, the number of mobile phone users in rural areas has increased by 1.7 percent over four years.

The use of internet is increasing in cities as well as in villages. According to the report, the internet user rate in villages was 41.2 percent in 2022, which increased to 46.1 percent in 2023. That is, the number of internet users in the village has increased by 5 percent during the year. Internet usage in the city increased by 3.5 percent during this period. In other words, the growth rate in terms of internet users is also higher in villages than in cities.

Those concerned say that online gambling and pornography are behind the recent increase in mobile phone and internet usage. Online gambling rates are highest. They called for effective initiatives to stop the negative use of information technology.

President of Bangladesh Mobile Phone Consumer Association Mohiuddin Ahmed told Kalbela that many people in the village live abroad, the use of mobile phones to communicate with them is increasing. At the same time, human capacity has also increased. However, online gambling and pornography are one of the reasons behind the increase in mobile users in villages. Because of this, the use of internet has also increased.

He said that the youth of the village are getting addicted to online gambling. Apart from this, there is also a tendency to watch pornography. Besides, many people play mobile games. Due to these reasons mobile and internet usage is increasing. Regarding the decline in cities, he said that the use of mobile phones in cities is low due to the availability of various devices for the use of information technology and being busy with various tasks.

Mohiuddin Ahmed said that the increase in users in cities and villages is good news. However, its negative impact is more at the village level. We have repeatedly requested BTRC to move from here, but no such initiative is seen.