The number of mobile subscribers in Bangladesh dropped by 1.2 million to 187.5 million in December 2024, marking the sixth consecutive month of decline, according to the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC). Between July and December, mobile operators collectively lost 7.5 million customers.
Shahed Alam, Chief Corporate and Regulatory Officer of Robi, attributed the decline to an increase in SIM card taxation, which rose from Tk 200 to Tk 300 at the start of the fiscal year. The higher cost has discouraged consumers from acquiring additional connections, particularly impacting marginalized communities’ access to communication.
Among operators, Banglalink saw the sharpest decline, losing approximately 750,000 subscribers, reducing its base to 39.7 million. Robi, the second-largest operator, lost 400,000 subscribers, bringing its customer count to 57.1 million, while Grameenphone, the market leader, lost 30,000, reducing its base to 84.5 million. Teletalk, the state-owned operator, saw no change, maintaining 6.56 million subscribers.
The latest data from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics revealed that mobile phone ownership among individuals aged 15 and older declined from 75.4% in 2020 to 74.2% in 2023. The gender gap in mobile phone ownership also persisted, with 86% of men owning a mobile phone compared to only 62.8% of women, signaling an ongoing disparity in access to mobile technology.
