Bangladeshis are overpaying for the internet they are getting, and only 24% of the world is overpaying more than Bangladesh. 

The government is likely to hike value-added tax (VAT) on broadband internet and impose a 5 per cent VAT on handsets manufacturing in the upcoming budget, which will increase handset and internet prices from next fiscal year. 

The government is likely to reduce the value-added tax for the backward linkage of internet service providers to 5 percent with the view to lowering the price of internet for more than 9 crore internet users ahead of the general election.

Bangladesh will bring down the cost of internet, finally, bowing to the long overdue demand of consumers and ICT-related trade bodies.

Newly appointed ICT Minister Mustafa Jabbar yesterday said his main agenda was to reduce internet usage charges and improve its service quality.

Reducing internet using cost and improving the service quality are his first priority, says newly appointed Telecom and ICT Minister Mustafa Jabbar in a reception program at Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS).

Bangladesh government is working to reduce internet price at the consumer-level, State Minister for Post and Telecommunications Tarana Halim says.