Bridging the Digital Divide in Bangladesh

Bangladesh, like the other South Asian nations, is a country with a clear-cut digital divide between rural and urban areas, which is primarily caused by income and wealth inequalities. Factors such as low literacy and income levels, geographical restrictions, lack of motivation to use technology, lack of physical access to technology, and digital illiteracy contribute to the digital divide which refers to a growing gap between people who do, and do not, have access to high-speed internet.

The coronavirus crisis has exposed the effects of the digital divide in education: many teachers and students are out of the loop because they lack sufficient technology and digital skills. It also increases lack of knowledge by limiting access to knowledge.

Digital divide is being compounded at multiple levels. According to a 2013 report, the internet gender gap is striking especially in developing countries like Bangladesh. Then, the social divide is another reality exacerbated by the social media. Internet access creates relationships and social circles among people with shared interests, and leaves out the others. And then there is the Universal Access Divide in which a large part of the society does not have the device to access digital connectivity, and if there is the device, the bandwidth is very poor.

The social and gender angles of digital divide in Bangladesh indeed provides a major challenge. In compliance with the traditional gender norms, often many girls in the hinterland are prevented from developing their digital skills. Poverty also leads to sons being preferred in providing digital access. While a quarter of male teenagers in Bangladesh has reported using a smartphone, just eight percent of girls did so at the start of the pandemic, according to a BIGD survey. It is also due to active social life and shared resources, still a privilege of male teenagers more.

Economic divide brings to the fore the affordability of internet for a larger section of the audience. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has asked the government to introduce free internet packages for university students to help them take part in online educational activities. Even if the device is there, usability varies based on the model, the net package and the bandwidth available at the location of the user.

Bangladesh has been placed in the 41st position in internet affordability worldwide and 14th in Asia, according to the Global Affordability Report, 2019. Affordability refers to those who can buy 1GB mobile prepaid data with less than 2 per cent of his/her average monthly income.

Post start of the pandemic, by May 2020, Bangladesh touched 100 million internet users, as per the Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission. Perhaps, going by the trends, by end of 2021, this should be close to 110 million. It is hence clear that more than 70 million are beyond internet connectivity, and those who are connected, have varying levels of connectivity to make effective use for business or education. Online learning is still an expensive dream for a good number of rural students. According to A4AI (Alliance for Affordable Internet), the four features that matter most to the internet users are minimum daily internet access, a smartphone, an unlimited broadband connection at home, office or institute and 4G mobile connectivity. While one or the other may be available, most of the 110 million also do not have all the four in place. With the overall online education industry expected to reach US $350 billion by 2025, it is the future of education (and as a value addition to face-to-face education, ushering in PhyGital Learning). We cannot fail in this.

The government’s long-term goal of bringing the whole country under broadband coverage shows that it has the right vision for making Digital Bangladesh a reality. The new telecom policy -- with the motto “telephones for all” -- is already on track to put all individuals, households, and businesses in Bangladesh within an integrated telecommunications network. The next natural step is internet connectivity for all, as well as the promotion of internet literacy throughout the country.

The flat lands of Bangladesh make it easy for the laying down of necessary communications infrastructure -- we are free from some of the topographical challenges faced by other poor nations such as Nepal. There is no excuse, then, to delay on this. And Dhaka needs decentralization to take the pressure off the capital, conducting business from any location without physically having to travel to Dhaka. Going digital is what will level the playing field, and equalise the growth potential for businesses in all regions. Already we have seen the success of initiatives such as mobile banking in their ability to empower people who do not have easy access to urban centres. This success needs to spread to other sectors as well.

The digitization process in Bangladesh focuses primarily on four directions: developing human resources, connecting citizens, providing services to citizens’ doorsteps, and enhancing the ICT-based business opportunities, under its Digital Bangladesh by 2021, which has only partially been achieved by now.

However, only providing the technology is not good enough in a developing country, and there needs to be guidance and education to ensure the adoption of the technology by the end users.

So, a concerted attempt from various sources shall be needed to bridge the digital divide that is still existing in Bangladesh. Community Information Centres, Multipurpose Community Tele-centres in Rural Bangladesh and similar organizations still have a long way to go. Research, development, and innovations in ICT have been increased tremendously during the last decade in Bangladesh, but the country faces the challenges of adoption, acceptance, and uses of ICT in economic, social, health, and educational enhancement, which indicated that the digital inequality exists in Bangladesh.

The government’s plans for a ‘Digital Bangladesh’ by 2021 still seems far from fruition due to the disparity in access to information and communication technology (ICT) between low and high-income households, according to a study by the South Asian Network on Economic Modelling (Sanem). Vision 2041, which is a continuation of Vision 2021, cannot be attained without full utilisation of the country’s demographic dividend.

On action-plan, mere 2 per cent of budget of the nation for education can never achieve the goals of full utilization of human potentials, and would require, like most developed nations, an allocation beyond 5 per cent of the annual budget or the GDP. With regards to CSR, of the Tk 461.42 crore spent, the banks spent the highest Tk 237.98 crore in the health sector, representing 51.58 per cent of their total spending. The private sector beyond banks has been negligible in their contribution. While, like India, there can be a law on compulsory CSR spending in Bangladesh, or the Chambers need to come together to decide to spend 1 per cent of the turnover or 2 per cent of the gross profit for CSR related to enhancing the digital infrastructure of the nation. Alongside, institutes and individuals need to uphold the social responsibility through contributing devices, training, connectivity, et al to those still unconnected.

The writer is Adviser and Professor of Dhaka based Daffodil International University. He can be contacted at ujjwalk.chowdhury@gmail.com