The mobile internet subscriber base in Bangladesh fell for four consecutive months until December last year as the regulator's bar on purchasing short-term packages combined with inflationary pressures to impact consumers.

The number of mobile internet users dropped by nearly 5 lakh to about 11.85 crore in December last year compared to the previous month, according to data from the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).

Industry experts attributed the decline to financial constraints of consumers due to heightened inflation.

"As the economic condition of consumers is not good, many favour spending less on internet," Shahed Alam, chief corporate and regulatory officer at Robi Axiata, told The Daily Star.

"Moreover, with shorter winter daytime hours, reduced commercial activities have resulted in a decrease in customer acquisition for the mobile internet segment during this period. The national election has also had an impact."

Additionally, regulatory constraints on the sale of three-day data packages is contributing to this trend.

In a move that stakeholders, experts and consumer rights organisations say restricts the freedom of choice, the BTRC ordered mobile operators to discontinue 3-day and 15-day data packages from October 15 last year.

Alam said that many consumers are reluctant to buy costlier longer-duration packages.

On a year-on-year basis, the number of mobile subscribers increased by 5.27 percent in December.

Meanwhile, the broadband internet subscriber base increased by nearly 4 lakh month-on-month to 1.29 crore in December.

Broadband subscribers account for 9.80 percent of the country's total internet subscriber base of 13.13 crore. The rest comes from mobile internet.