The ongoing FIFA World Cup has led to a sharp rise in internet subscriptions in Bangladesh, according to the latest data from the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC). Internet subscriptions increased by 50.8 lakh to 13.41 crore at the end of May from 12.89 crore in January. Active mobile subscribers also rose by 28 lakh to 18.86 crore from 18.58 crore over the same period.
Industry insiders attribute the surge in internet usage to increased data consumption as millions of football fans streamed World Cup matches on their mobile devices. Uninterrupted electricity supply has also helped sustain online activity. Additionally, the Eid holidays, HSC examinations, and the withdrawal of the Taka 300 tax on mobile phone SIM cards contributed to the growth.
Robi Head of Corporate and Regulatory Affairs Shahed Alam noted that the World Cup, along with other factors, drove higher data consumption and internet traffic. He highlighted that Bangladesh witnessed the second-highest internet traffic in its history during the Argentina-Switzerland World Cup quarterfinal match.
Mobile internet remained the dominant mode of connectivity, accounting for nearly 89 percent of total internet subscriptions. The number of mobile internet users rose from 11.42 crore in January to 11.91 crore in May, an increase of nearly 49 lakh users. In contrast, fixed broadband subscriptions remained almost unchanged.
The active mobile subscriber base recovered during the January-May period after a prolonged decline. Grameenphone remained the largest mobile operator with 8.59 crore subscribers, followed by Robi Axiata, Banglalink, and state-owned Teletalk. Teletalk was the only operator to register a decline in subscribers during this period.
