Quantitative study on the digital divide in Bangladesh

Abstract

The imperative to harness digital technology for societal benefits has, perhaps, never been more critical than now. The push for universal and affordable Internet access, as highlighted by Sustainable Development Goal 9C, underscores the urgency to address the digital divide, which is believed to be exacerbated in various parts of the world. Despite efforts, progress in bridging this divide is lagging. In this regard, the International Telecommunication Union reports that one-third of the global population lacks Internet access. Besides, extensive research across technology ownership, motivation, skills, and usage benefits has identified four levels of digital divide - access, usage, skills, and outcomes. Initially focused on access and skills required for digital technology operations, discourse has evolved to scrutinize technology and Internet usage outcomes. In this context, the digital divide in third- world countries, particularly in Bangladesh, is significant as the country experiences a rising trend in Internet and technology usage. Despite extensive research on the digital divide in other regions, a comprehensive analysis specific to rural Bangladesh is lacking. This study aims to comprehensively address the persistent digital divide in Bangladesh. Utilizing a large, representative dataset (N = 3, 618), collected across more than 50 unions from 15 districts that span all divisions of Bangladesh, we undertake a detailed examination of the digital divide’s nature and scope. Through a combination of logistic regression and network analysis, we explore various facets of the digital divide. Additionally, we develop a novel unified index for quantifying the digital divide, incorporating four sub-indices that measure disparities in access, skills, usage, and connectivity. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first index to systematically depict the digital divide in contemporary Bangladesh. We validate our constructed index by correlating it with a socio-economic status indicator (SES) and conduct sensitivity analyses on the Digital Divide Index to identify the most influential factors affecting the digital divide. Our findings contribute significantly to the literature by providing insights specific to the Bangladeshi context and offering crucial recommendations for reducing the digital divide. This is particularly relevant as Bangladesh strives to lead the global effort towards eliminating the digital divide.