Bangladesh saw a significant drop of 44 lakh mobile internet subscribers in November, bringing the total number of mobile internet users down to 13.28 crore from October, according to data from the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), stated in a report.
This is the largest monthly decline in internet subscribers since August 2021 and marks the fifth consecutive month of decreases, starting from July. Over this five-month period, internet subscriptions have fallen by a staggering 90 lakh.
Industry experts attribute the decline primarily to a VAT hike on SIM cards. In July, the VAT was increased by 50%, rising from Tk 200 to Tk 300.
This increase has placed financial strain on mobile operators, particularly smaller ones like Banglalink and Robi, which have struggled to continue subsidizing SIM cards. In contrast, larger operators such as Grameenphone, with more robust financial resources, have managed to absorb the additional costs, creating imbalances in competition.
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The higher cost of SIM cards has also discouraged new customer onboarding, especially in the context of ongoing economic challenges that have reduced disposable income.
BTRC data shows that November’s decline was entirely due to the drop in mobile internet subscribers, which fell to 11.90 crore. The number of broadband users, however, remained steady at 1.37 crore.
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