A large number of internet users are unhappy with the internet speed and service quality available in the country, a survey has found.
Out of 900 respondents in the survey – conducted by Bangladesh ICT Journalist Forum (BIJF) and event organiser Expo Maker – only a meagre 2.3% said they found the internet speed excellent; 10.8% were satisfied; 57% said the speed was “not bad;” and 29.8% said they were not satisfied at all.
The study report was presented at a programme titled “The Internet We Want” at the capital’s Bangabandhu International Conference Centre.
An overwhelming majority of 74% internet users said the performance of their internet operator was “not bad,” 5.3% were not satisfied, 17.2% were satisfied, while only 3.7% of the respondents termed the performance excellent.
On network quality, 46.25% respondents claimed they found frequent network disruptions, 9.2% experienced disconnection sometimes, 12% said the connection was hampered now and then, while 32.6% said they found disruptions very often.
A large number of young people at the programme urged the government to reduce the tariff on internet cost.
Present at the event, State Minister for ICT Division Junayed Ahmed Palak said the government was working relentlessly to ensure people’s right to affordable and fast-paced internet connection across the country.
“Although the government has repeatedly decreased the cost of internet, organisations concerned did not act accordingly. The government will take necessary actions regarding this,” Palak said.
He also pointed out that over the last five and a half years, the government has helped open up computer labs in 8,000 colleges and 25,000 schools.
To spread the power of the internet, the government has also provided licence for 3G and provided optical fibre connections in unions, Palak added.
The ICT state minister said affordable internet throughout the country would have a great impact on the economy.
Also present at the programme, Grameenphone’s Head of Strategy Erlend Prestgard said technological neutrality or a chance to provide internet through any band was needed to spread easy and affordable internet throughout the country.
Former senior vice-president of BASIS Syed Almas Kabir said decreasing bandwidth price was not the only solution; the government should decrease VAT on internet as well as slash prices of internet-related devices.
General secretary of Internet Service Providers Association of Bangladesh (ISPAB), Md Imdadul Haque, and president of Bangladesh Women in IT, Luna Shamsuddoha, also spoke at the programme.
The event was presided over by BIJF President Muhammad Khan and moderated by Bangladesh Open Source Network (BDOSN) General Secretary Munir Hasan.
