Technology news and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Bangladesh’s mobile phone market shipped 4 million units in 1Q24, with a 1.7% YoY growth. Smartphones saw an 11.6% increase, rebounding from a decline due to heavy taxation. Feature phones declined by 5.4%. Key segments showed mixed trends, while 5G growth remains slow. Offline channels dominate, but online sales are rising.
State Minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak announced the launch of 5G services at Terminal 3 of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in October, following the prime minister’s directive to prioritize airports, seaports, business districts, and industrial zones. The announcement was made during a BTRC meeting in Dhaka.
Grameenphone, a subsidiary of Telenor, aims to connect 50 million internet users in Bangladesh within five years. The company recently surpassed 50 million subscribers and plans significant annual investments to upgrade its network. Celebratory offers include doubling internet speeds for 3G users. Grameenphone’s network covers 99% of the population.
A new app developed by Virginia Tech and Medina Tech Ltd. aims to help Bangladeshi farmers identify and manage crop pests. The Groundnut IPM app provides crucial pest management information, using AI for real-time detection and GPS for location-based recommendations. The app, available in Bengali, is free and will be piloted to 1,000 farmers.
Bangladesh’s ‘Made in Bangladesh’ roadmap aims to boost IT device manufacturing and exports, potentially creating 100,000 jobs and earning $5 billion by 2025. The plan focuses on digital transformation, leveraging local production, and international branding, supported by government and industry collaboration.
Bangladesh will install a fourth underwater cable by 2028 and a fifth by 2033 to meet growing bandwidth needs. Internet users have surged to 12.9 million, with internet density at 75.12%. Reduced internet costs have boosted IT sector employment and web-based business opportunities.
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) will allow mobile operators to pay spectrum fees in local currency, taka, instead of US dollars. This decision follows requests from operators due to the US dollar’s appreciation against the taka. Fees will be settled based on the dollar rate at the time of payment.
The US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) awarded a feasibility study grant to CdNet Communications Ltd for the Bangladesh International Submarine Cable (Bagha-1). This project aims to boost internet capacity and quality across Bangladesh, enhancing digital infrastructure and connectivity for advanced services like 5G and international data centers.
Robi Axiata and Banglalink have signed an MoU to explore network sharing, aiming to improve 4G access across Bangladesh. This collaboration seeks to enhance cost efficiency, service quality, and environmental sustainability, with support from regulatory bodies and the government’s ‘Smart Bangladesh’ vision.
In 2023, Bangladesh’s internet subscriber count rose to 131 million, including 7 million new users, with 118.49 million on mobile and 12.88 million on broadband. The total mobile subscribers also increased to 190.81 million, driven by 10.61 million new users last year, according to BTRC data.