Just over half of Bangladesh's households were direct internet users by the end of December 2024, according to a new survey by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS).

The BBS quarterly report on the use of ICT revealed that 52.4 percent of households had access to internet services at the end of last year, up from 50.4 percent in the July–September quarter.
Despite the rise, nearly 48 percent of families remained outside the reach of internet connectivity.

Internet usage at the household level has steadily increased in recent years.

In 2022, the household internet usage rate was 38 percent, marking a 14.4 percentage point rise in just two years.

However, at the individual level, growth has been slower, rising by only 6.5 percentage points over the same period to reach 47.2 percent.

The findings are based on data collected from 61,632 households across the country as part of 
the BBS's second quarterly ICT usage survey of the current financial year.

The survey showed a significant increase in smartphone penetration.

While 70 percent of households used smartphones in the July–September quarter, the rate rose to 72.3 percent in October–December.

The BBS attributed this rise to the growing utility and affordability of smartphones.

Urban–rural disparity in internet usage remains stark. About 61.6 percent of urban households use the internet, compared to just 48.2 percent of rural households.

The BBS survey, which gathers data from individuals aged five years and above, is aimed at informing national ICT policy, as well as reporting to international platforms such as the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the SDG Tracker.