Bangladesh added internet users at a much faster pace than new mobile subscribers during the first half of 2026, highlighting rising digital adoption as the government seeks to raise the information and communication technology (ICT) sector's contribution to the economy to 10 percent within the next five years.
Latest Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) data showed the country had 189.83 million active mobile subscribers and 135.94 million internet subscribers at the end of June, with internet subscriptions expanding at a significantly faster pace than mobile connections.
Between January and June, internet subscriptions rose by 6.95 million to 135.94 million from 128.99 million, while active mobile subscribers increased by 4.03 million to 189.83 million from 185.80 million.
The figures indicated that digital growth is increasingly being driven by greater internet use among existing mobile subscribers rather than by first-time SIM registrations. The gap widened during the second quarter.
From April to June, internet subscriptions grew by 4.52 million compared with an increase of 2.76 million mobile subscribers.
In June alone, the country added 1.87 million internet users against 1.23 million new mobile subscribers.
The latest subscriber trends come as the government has identified ICT as a thrust sector and unveiled an ambitious roadmap to accelerate digital transformation, expand connectivity and strengthen the sector's contribution to national output.
"In order to build an integrated digital state system and a digital economy, the government has recognized Information and Communication Technology as a thrust sector," Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury said in his Fiscal Year 2026-27 budget speech.
"Through the adoption of appropriate planning and its effective implementation, this contribution can be increased to 10 percent within the next five years," he said.
The government's digital agenda includes extending 5G coverage to 90 percent of the population, ensuring broadband speeds of 100 Mbps, establishing a National Fibre Bank to provide affordable high-speed internet in remote and rural areas, introducing a "One Citizen-One ID-One Digital Wallet" system through Digital Public Infrastructure and creating 200,000 technology jobs annually.
Supporting those goals, the FY27 budget withdrew the Tk 300 specific tax on mobile SIM cards and abolished import duty, regulatory duty, supplementary duty and VAT on laptops, desktop computers, computer printers and computer monitors.
It also reduced Advance Income Tax (AIT) on 22 raw materials used in local mobile phone manufacturing to one percent, extended VAT exemptions for local technology production until 2030, removed the 20 percent withholding tax on revenue sharing and licence fees received by the BTRC and allocated Tk 500 crore as a Startup Fund for women and young entrepreneurs in the ICT sector.
Highlighting the role of innovation and young talent in achieving the government's digital ambitions, the finance minister said, "The present government considers the highly talented and promising youth population of Bangladesh as the country's greatest asset and a key driver of development."
"The government believes that, with adequate support, the talented and creative youth of Bangladesh will be capable of establishing world-class technology hubs in the country, comparable to Silicon Valley in the United States, Shenzhen in China, Singapore or Dubai in the future," he said.
The BTRC data also underscored the dominance of mobile connectivity in Bangladesh's internet landscape. Of the country's 135.94 million internet subscribers in June, mobile internet users accounted for 120.84 million, while ISP and PSTN subscribers stood at 15.10 million. The regulator updates ISP and PSTN subscriber data quarterly.
Among mobile operators, Grameenphone remained the market leader with 86.59 million subscribers in June, followed by Robi Axiata with 58.57 million, Banglalink with 37.86 million and Teletalk with 6.80 million.
Operator-wise data showed Grameenphone added 2.26 million subscribers during the first six months of the year, Robi Axiata gained 1.33 million and Banglalink added 0.46 million, while Teletalk's subscriber base remained broadly stable.
