Mahmudul Hasan

People with a total of 85.52 lakh mobile connections left Dhaka in four days until April 21, as holidaymakers travelled to their homes to celebrate Eid.

The number of public switched telephone network (PSTN) users has decreased over the past decade, falling below half a million as mobile phones have become ubiquitous while landline operators failed to expand network coverage.

It was 11.45 pm on Tuesday. Shopping malls and markets usually remain shut at this hour of the day. But, the bustling shopping district for clothing and lifestyle items in the Mirpur-1 area was abuzz with shoppers.

The gender gap in mobile money account ownership is 55 per cent in Bangladesh as mobile ownership among men is growing at a faster pace than among women, according to a global report.

Production of 4G smartphones has plummeted by over 61 per cent year-on-year in the first quarter of this year, as import costs have increased for the taka’s depreciation against the dollar.

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has directed mobile network operators and internet service providers (ISPs) in the country to provide information on their spending for digital advertisements on different social media platforms last year.

A spike in orders during the ongoing Eid shopping season has brought back a bright smile to online courier service providers, a development that is a sigh of relief for the industry that witnessed a downturn in growth over the past one and a half years. 

A pioneering businesswoman, a champion of women’s entrepreneurship, a mentor and guide -- Rokia Afzal Rahman’s exit from the world has left a trail of bereft loved ones, friends, relatives and admirers.

Inflation in Bangladesh jumped to a seven-month high of 9.33 per cent in March as food prices rose and the adjustment of oil, gas, and electricity prices took hold, highlighting the pains low-income households are going through.

Bangladesh’s business process outsourcing industry is growing steadily, creating jobs and bringing in foreign currencies, but the growth has failed to live up to expectations due to a lack of human resources and language skills among graduates. 

The number of internet subscribers in Bangladesh saw its first rebound after six months in February this year thanks to a jump in mobile internet users.

Mobile network operators have launched a service that would allow subscribers to make payments to secure some government certificates using their mobile balances, a move that may generate a debate about its legality.

The lack of basic communication skills -- speaking clearly, understanding the needs of their customers and writing properly -- among fresh graduates is a major drawback for local industries, especially for the information technology (IT) sector in Bangladesh.

Though Eid is still a month away, shopping centring the festival has already begun as consumers are flocking to fashion outlets to buy lifestyle items.

The number of mobile subscribers in Bangladesh continued to grow for a second month in February on earlier falling for several months, with all but Teletalk displaying a solid performance.   

Bangladesh has set its target to go beyond becoming a digitalised nation and so it needs to ensure proper policy framework to realise its “Smart Bangladesh” vision, said Vivek Sood, joint acting group chief executive officer of Axiata Group

From locally manufactured televisions and printed circuit boards to jeans made out of jute, a diverse range of products are being displayed by Bangladeshi companies at Bangladesh Business Summit 2023 to attract foreign clients. 

Women entrepreneurs are playing a vital role in keeping Bangladesh’s digital commerce segment buoyant using their skills and resilience, giving a much-needed fillip to a sector reeling under crisis because of plummeting sales, scams and unprecedented inflation. 

The mobile subscriber base in Bangladesh saw a slight growth in January this year compared to that a month earlier, with Banglalink continuing to showcase a strong performance in expanding coverage. 

Robi Axiata Ltd is keen to remain a catalyst for local startups through its digital entrepreneurship programme, r-ventures, as the second-largest operator is optimistic about Bangladeshi talents to solve real-life problems, its chief executive officer said.