Mobile and internet subscriptions in Bangladesh continued to grow steadily in the first quarter of 2026, according to data released by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission.
By the end of March 2026, total mobile subscribers reached 18 crore 60 lakh 60 thousand. This marked a slight rise from 18 crore 58 lakh in January and 18 crore 58 lakh 40 thousand in February, showing gradual month-on-month growth across the quarter.
Internet usage also expanded. Total internet subscribers stood at 12 crore 96 lakh 20 thousand in March. The combined figure was lower earlier in the quarter, at 12 crore 89 lakh 90 thousand in January and 12 crore 82 lakh 70 thousand in February, before rebounding in March.
Mobile internet users followed a similar pattern. They fell from 11 crore 42 lakh 20 thousand in January to 11 crore 35 lakh in February, before rising again to 11 crore 48 lakh 50 thousand in March. Fixed-line internet subscriptions through ISP and PSTN services remained unchanged at 1 crore 47 lakh 50 thousand throughout the period.
Among operators, Grameenphone remained the market leader, starting the year with 8 crore 43 lakh 30 thousand subscribers in January. The figure rose slightly to 8 crore 43 lakh 60 thousand in February and 8 crore 44 lakh 80 thousand in March.
Robi Axiata recorded steady growth as well, with 5 crore 72 lakh 40 thousand subscribers in January, increasing to 5 crore 73 lakh in February and 5 crore 73 lakh 90 thousand in March. The company also reported strong financial performance in the quarter.
Its Profit After Tax stood at Tk 232.3 crore in Q1 2026, with a margin of 9.2 per cent. Revenue rose to Tk 2,531.2 crore, an 8.1 percent increase year-on-year, while earnings per share jumped 85.2 per cent to Tk 0.44.
Commenting on the results, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Ziad Shatara said the growth came despite “very adverse socio-economic conditions intensified by the war in West Asia”. He attributed performance to AI-driven personalised services, network investment and cost discipline.
“We have registered 8.1 per cent YoY growth and that too under very adverse socio-economic conditions,” he said, adding that sustained investment and disciplined planning had supported profitability.
The third-largest operator, Banglalink, reported 3 crore 74 lakh subscribers in January. The figure dipped slightly to 3 crore 73 lakh 50 thousand in February before recovering to 3 crore 73 lakh 70 thousand in March.
State-owned Teletalk Bangladesh maintained a stable base throughout the quarter, with 68 lakh 30 thousand subscribers in January and 68 lakh 20 thousand in both February and March.
Officials at the telecom regulator said the consistent rise in connectivity reflects the growing importance of digital services in everyday life. They added that monitoring systems remain in place to ensure service quality across operators.
