Bangladesh is currently experiencing a period of the demographic dividend that is expected to peak within the next couple of decades. It is now of utmost importance to utilize the potential of youth, especially in the context of a rapidly digitalized world and the advent of a competitive knowledge economy. BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD) conducted a nationwide survey titled “Digital Literacy and Access to Public Services” from September to November 2019 in Bangladesh. A portion of this study delved into the dynamics of smartphone and internet usage of the rural Bangladeshi population, and focused on the “most digitally able person,” referred to as MDAP in short, from each household participating in the survey. The findings that are related to this MDAP youth group are analyzed in this policy brief, which explores how factors, including gender dimensions, economic status, age, education, and area-specific characteristics, shape youth interaction with internet-centred digital technology. The study found that among Bangladeshi youth living in rural areas, significant disparities exist in terms of smartphone and internet usage along gender, income, and geographic lines. Access to technology, basic operating skills, and knowledge of the ever-growing range of benefits to be acquired from the digital world are yet to be diffused equally among various portions of our youth population. Moreover, the underrepresentation of females has been a recurrent finding of this study. Gender gaps and income gaps are some of the obstacles for the country’s youth when it comes to optimizing the use of technology.
Author: Rahman, Semab
Type: Research Brief
Year: 2020
