Internet Dependency Has Been Increased In Bangladesh

The one-month vacation announced by the government due to the corona virus has increased internet dependence.  As seen recently, on April 10 of this month, the bandwidth usage in the country was 1,650 Gbps (gigabytes per second).  The bandwidth of the submarine cable was 1,050 Gbps.  The remaining 600 Gbps bandwidth is provided by 6 ITCs (International Terrestrial Cables) in the country.  The next day, the bandwidth usage in the country was 1,600 Gbps.  Currently, bandwidth usage has increased by 25-30 percent.  In this context, the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications Mostafa Jabbar said, in this crisis, our internet system is good.  We have not failed in any work related to internet.  We are able to do all kinds of work successfully starting from the online meeting of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

 "In the last few days, our usage of 150 Gbps bandwidth has increased," he said.  The Internet is now our lifeline.  According to technology experts, the total bandwidth usage has increased due to the increase in mobile internet usage.  Currently, the most used bandwidth is for watching YouTube, using Facebook and Facebook videos.  Netflix and Amazon Prime video are at the top of the list of popular entertainment media.  Other popular social media platforms include Instagram and LinkedIn.  And now the most used video conferencing is Zoom, Skype, Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts Meets and Cisco Webex.  Meanwhile, mobile phone operators have redesigned voice and internet packages.  Some operators are offering more data at earlier prices.  No operator has reduced the price of their data.  Mobile operators say their data (Internet) usage has increased but the number of voice calls has decreased.  Meanwhile, in the current situation, the Bangladesh Mobile Phone Subscribers Association has demanded free telecommunication and internet services in exchange for waves.  Mohiuddin Ahmed, president of the organization, said that unannounced lockdown is going on all over the country at present.  In this situation, besides food, drink, fuel and medicine, one of the most important services of the citizens is telecommunication and internet.  This sector is included in the emergency services announced by the Prime Minister.  But even though this service is included in the emergency service, it is creating a big obstacle in getting this service due to lack of coordination.  He said that in order to keep the customers at home, he needs uninterrupted telecom and internet services.  Because the biggest entertainment and important medium at the moment is the mobile phone.  With the collapse of all business there has been some change and loss in the business of this sector which there is no way to deny.  Voice calls have dropped by about 20 percent.  However, data usage has increased by about 25 percent.  Telecommunication service workers are working relentlessly at the risk of their lives.  Several countries are already providing free telecommunications and internet services to their citizens in this global epidemic.  "The decision of the state is important in getting such services in our country," he said.  Because if it is free, the government can decide how to collect VAT or waive it.  On the other hand, if it is free, the demand for this service will increase a lot and it will be impossible to provide this service with the current wave.  Therefore, we will demand that the government can provide the state resources which are lying unused (waves) for free for 6 months at 5 MHz without taking absolutely free from the operators.  And this could force operators to provide this service for free.  And we think that 80 percent of the citizens can be kept at home.