Bangladesh is lagging in the use of internet and computers in business. Less than half of the businesses in Bangladesh use computers, according to a World Bank report. The report highlights Bangladesh's weak position compared to neighboring countries in adopting modern technology for business.

According to the Digital Progress and Trends Report 2023, between 2019 and 2022, only 46% of establishments in Bangladesh used computers, and 50% had access to internet facilities.

Countries like Brazil, Chile, Georgia, India, Korea, Poland, and Vietnam nearly all companies have a computer for business purposes and internet connection. On the other hand, in Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, and Ethiopia, only about half of the establishments have computers.

The report notes that some low and middle-income countries frequently experience internet service disruptions due to slow internet speeds, affecting Bangladesh as well, which often disrupts internet services, reducing the competitiveness of companies.

It is mentioned in the report that there is a risk of internet service disruption about seven times per month in Bangladesh. Such frequent disruptions make it difficult to maintain business continuity and compete in the global digital economy.

Therefore, questions have been raised about the effectiveness of the government's investment of billions of taka in expanding the country's optical fiber network for broadband internet. Additionally, the government has spent thousands of crores of taka on various projects to achieve the vision of 'Digital Bangladesh.'

From 2019 to 2022, Bangladeshi institutions lagged in using cloud computing services, with only 7% of business institutions using such services. 34% of companies have a website, and 23% use social media.

According to the report, in Bangladesh, 39 out of every 100 people use the internet. Although this rate is higher than in Pakistan and Afghanistan, it is lower than that of neighboring and comparable economies like India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Bhutan, and Nepal.

The report categorizes Bangladesh as a lower-middle-income country, where on average, 56% of the population uses the internet. The average rate in South Asia is 42%, indicating that Bangladesh lags behind the average for lower-middle-income countries and South Asia in terms of internet usage.

According to the World Bank report, 32% of people in Bangladesh use the internet on mobile phones, and among all mobile phone users, the rate of smartphone usage is about 51.77%. Bangladesh has the lowest rate of smartphone usage in South Asia, even lower than in Afghanistan, where the rate is 55.79%, although only 18% of Afghans use the internet.

Other South Asian countries also have higher rates of smartphone usage compared to Bangladesh, for example, the Maldives at 83%, Bhutan at 81%, India at 77%, Sri Lanka at 70%, Pakistan at 63%, and Nepal at 59%.