Bangladesh's unique mobile internet penetration will reach 41 percent by 2025, with 4G accounting for half of total connections, the GSMA has said in one of its reports about Bangladesh mobile industry.

The mobile internet access has reached about 21 percent at the end of 2017, said the report published on Wednesday.

The GSMA, the association of mobile operators, released the new report outlining the rapid growth of the country's mobile industry over the last decade, which now places it as the fifth largest mobile market in Asia Pacific, and ninth largest in the globe.

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The report said that within 2025 mobile broadband technology 4G users number will cross 3G users number.

According to Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), the total active internet connections were 8.05 crore at the end of 2017 that means more than 40 percent people are using internet connections.

However, the GSMA said unique internet users' numbers are about 21 percent right now.

In reply of the study, Telecom and ICT Minister Mustafa Jabbar yesterday said that this might be true but everyone needs to remember that few years ago this number was also very low and after taking the initiative of this government the number of the internet connection has increased.

The law enforcement agencies today suggested the Election Commission to bring down the mobile internet speed to 2G level on the voting day on December 30.

They also came up with a call to the EC to stop operation of mobile banking across the country from at least three days before the election day.

The suggestions came during a coordination meeting between the EC and the representatives of different law enforcement agencies held at the commission office in Agargaon area of Dhaka this evening.

Home secretary, inspector general of police, the principal staff officer of and armed force, high officials of Rapid Action Battalion, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), police supers of all the districts and returning officers from across the country attended the meeting.

Some law enforcers, during the meeting, suggested the commission to impose restrictions on the access of journalists so that they cannot enter the poling centres with mobile phone and capture videos, meeting source said.

Talking to The Daily Star, EC Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed said the proposals of bringing down the internet speed to 2G level and stopping mobile banking were placed in the meeting, the decision in this regard has not been taken yet.

The mobile internet speed was restored this morning 10 hours after it was slowed down by the telecom regulator.

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) through an e-mail asked four mobile operators to restore the 3G and 4G services around 7:30am without mentioning details, said officials of the operators.

The BTRC yesterday night suddenly directed the mobile operators to slow down the internet by shutting down 3G and 4G services two days ahead of the 11th national election.

As per the BTRC order issued around 10:00pm yesterday, people using the internet on their phones would not be able to stream or upload pictures or videos.

Use of communication apps would also be nearly impossible with the low-speed mobile internet.

As of November, over six crore people are currently using the 3G and 4G mobile internet.

Only 2G internet was available last night.

During the demonstrations for safe roads in August, the BTRC slowed down internet speed for almost 24 hours.