The Social

Social Media in Bangladesh - 2023 Stats & Platform Trends

Last Updated: April 6, 2023
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Welcome! Here at OOSGA, we've combined insights from our partners across various markets and our own hands-on experience to bring you this brief. If you are interested in partnering with us on social media marketing & research within Bangladesh, let us know!
The Outlook

How does social media look like in Bangladesh?

Bangladesh, a developing nation, boasts a robust and resilient economy. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) reports that the country’s economy has not witnessed a decline since 1975. In recent decades, the growth rate has accelerated, averaging 5.5% during the first ten years of the 21st century and 6.6% in the second ten-year period.

Despite Bangladesh’s impressive economic growth, its internet penetration rate remains relatively low compared to neighboring countries like India. Official government data indicates a 71.4% internet penetration rate, but when accounting for double counting due to mobile cellular subscriptions, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) estimates the actual rate to be under 30%. This rate is considerably lower than that of other nations with lower per capita GDPs than Bangladesh.

This low internet penetration has contributed to a reduced usage of social media among the population. However, it is worth noting that nearly all individuals with internet access are active social media users. Although a substantial increase in social media users was anticipated as internet infrastructure improved, the number of users has instead decreased over the past year. Estimates suggest that the total number of users dropped from 49.5 million in 2022 to 44.7 million in 2023. A separate analysis from Napoleon also identified similar trends, with both Facebook and Instagram experiencing declines in users over the past year.

Table of Contents
Internet Population|% of Population
Mobile cellular subscriptions|Per 100 Peopel
The Demographics

How are users distributed in Bangladesh?

Throughout 2022, on average there are about 50.3 million active social media users in Bangladesh on a monthly basis with an annual growth rate of 10.1 % in 2021-22 . This represents about  29.7 % of the total population. These social media users on average spend about hours on social media and each on average have accounts on platforms.

% of Total Social Media Users|Note: Meta's figure as reference, 2022
The Platforms

What kinds of platform is used in Bangladesh?

By the close of 2022, the dominant social media platforms in Bangladesh were Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, IMO (a messaging app), and Messenger. Data reveals that roughly 50 million individuals, equating to 29% of the country’s population, actively use Facebook. Moreover, a 2021 survey conducted by a local university, albeit with a limited sample size, discovered that almost all urban students are active on Facebook.

IMO has gained popularity in Bangladesh and other nations where internet connectivity is sparse, as it offers a low-bandwidth alternative for making calls and sending messages. The app is compatible with both iOS and Android devices. Consequently, IMO’s growth tends to be inversely correlated with the expansion of internet penetration.

In recent years, TikTok has experienced a notable surge in popularity, although no official figures are available. Google search data indicates that interest in TikTok surpassed that of Instagram and IMO by the end of 2021. However, it still significantly trails Facebook in terms of overall interest.

Platform Figure (% of Population)|Source: OOSGA Analytics; eMarketer, Napoleon Cat, Facebook, ByteDance, Microsoft | Note: No LinkedIn Data Prior to 2019/8
Explore Social Media in Other Countries

Facebook Overview in Bangladesh

With the latest data published in January 2023, we can see that at the growth rate of 0.93%, there is now around 49.31 million Facebook users in Bangladesh . With male users account for around 67.65% and female users account for around 32.35%.

% of Total Population | 2022
Facebook Users | Unit: a Thousand People
Facebook User Growth | % of Population
User Growth By Age | Unit: a Thousand People
As legal restriction, figure of 13-17 is often underestimated(underreported) and 18-24 is overestimated
User Growth By Age | Unit: % of its Associated Age Bracket
Number may exceed 100% as multi-accounts holders or fake accounts prevail in the country

Instagram Overview in Bangladesh

With the latest data published in January 2023, we can see that at the growth rate of 1.1%, there is now around 4.9 million Instagram users in Bangladesh . With male users account for around 68.34% and female users account for around 31.66%.

% of Total Population | 2022
Instagram Users | Unit: a Thousand People
Instagram User Growth | % of Population
User Growth By Age | Unit: a Thousand People
As legal restriction, figure of 13-17 is often underestimated(underreported) and 18-24 is overestimated
User Growth By Age | Unit: % of its Associated Age Bracket
Number may exceed 100% as multi-accounts holders or fake accounts prevail in the country

LinkedIn Overview in Bangladesh

With the latest data published in January 2023, we can see that at the growth rate of 1.22x, there is now around 5.66 million LinkedIn users in Bangladesh.

% of Total Population | 2022
LinkedIn Users | Unit: a Thousand People
User Growth By Age | Unit: a Thousand People

Reference

  • Internet & Cellular Subscription:World Bank, ITU
  • Currency Exchange: Based on IMF data in 2023/1
  • Demographics: UN Population Database
  • Social Media Behavior: GWI, Hootsuite 2022 Digital Report
  • Meta, LinkedIn Data: Napoleon Cat Stats
  • Data Calculation & Regression:OOSGA.org
  • Analysis:OOSGA Analytics
  • Note: The data for monthly platform usage and the data for the most frequently used platforms are sourced from different research, hence there may be discrepancies in the numbers as both are estimated rather than real figure.
Author: Consumer Research

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