The number of mobile internet subscribers declined by 13.1 million over seven months

The mobile internet subscriber base declined by 13.1 million over the seven months leading up to January, dropping to 116 million, with a loss of 1 million in January alone. Industry experts attribute this decline to a 50% increase in SIM tax, a reduction in subsidized SIM sales by operators, and economic hardships affecting consumers.  

Following the tax hike, smaller operators like Banglalink and Robi significantly cut back on subsidy expenditures, making it more challenging to attract new customers. At the start of the fiscal year, the government raised the SIM tax by 50% to Tk 300. Previously, operators often sold SIM cards at heavily discounted rates or even distributed them for free to expand their customer base.  

"The increased SIM tax makes it very difficult for mobile operators to subsidize SIMs as they did before," said Taimur Rahman, chief corporate and regulatory affairs officer of Banglalink.  

"This challenge is even greater for smaller operators, as larger telecom companies can still afford higher subsidies, creating a competitive imbalance in the market," he added. The ongoing economic crisis has further led to a decline in new customer acquisitions and reactivations.  

Shahed Alam, chief corporate and regulatory officer of Robi, pointed out that the higher cost of SIM cards has discouraged consumers from obtaining multiple connections.  

"This further complicates efforts to connect marginalized communities," he said, emphasizing how rising costs are limiting access to essential communication services.  

The drop in mobile internet subscribers is already affecting e-commerce and online businesses, leading to lower sales, reduced user engagement, and slower digital adoption, according to Fahim Mashroor, CEO of Bdjobs.  

"For example, over the past year, Bdjobs has struggled to expand its user base," he noted. "Internet-based businesses are already facing a downturn."  

However, broadband subscriptions have seen a modest increase.  

In the past seven months, broadband users grew by 500,000, reaching 14 million.  

As of January, the total number of internet users—across both mobile and broadband—stood at 130 million.  

However, industry insiders caution that the actual number of unique subscribers is significantly lower, as many individuals use multiple SIMs to access the internet.  

According to BTRC regulations, an active internet subscriber is defined as someone who has accessed the internet at least once in the past 90 days.