Smartphone users rise, TV ownership falls below 50% in Bangladesh

Ownership of television in Bangladesh continues to fall, while there has been an uptick in smartphone usage, according to Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

The recently published "Bangladesh Sample Vital Statistics 2023" offers intriguing insights into the shifting landscape of technology ownership within the country. 

In percentage terms, TV ownership in Bangladesh stood at 53.09% in 2021, gradually diminishing to 50.73% in 2022 and further declining to 49.49% in 2023, marking a noteworthy 4.4% decrease over three years. 

Conversely, smartphone ownership showed the most substantial increase in ownership among all monitored electronic devices.

In 2021, 65.91% of the population possessed smartphones, a figure that surged to 70.03% in 2022 and escalated to 74.5% in 2023, reflecting an overall increase of 8.59%.

The trends appear persistent and have shown no signs of slowing since asset ownership tracking by the Bureau began in 2021. 

Personal computers and laptop ownership rose to a modest 4.69% in 2023, registering a mere 0.32% increase since the inception of data tracking. 

When TV first began to appear in the public consciousness, the devices spread like wildfire. 

TV's, in fact, became a symbol of the middle class, as an expensive - but not too expensive - luxury item that allowed you access to entertainment and news.

However, it is hard to understate the utility of smartphones.  

These compact devices allow not only communication and internet connectivity but also serve as platforms for entertainment, gaming, photography, and more. 

Previously bulky and costly gadgets, such as landline phones, cameras, computers, and TVs, have been condensed into handheld devices.

The addition of online and phone banking as well as all the other useful functions only enhanced the necessity of smartphones