Users and Uses of Internet Access Points in Bangladesh: A Case Study of Community Information Centers (CICs)

Abstract

This study through a theoretical framework and using the case study and survey approaches investigates the uses and benefits of these Community Information Centers (CICs) and the several ways in which these CICs are impacting the lives of the rural people. Two thirds (69%) of the users come to the centers to send emails. The other purposes are browsing for any information (63%), entertainment (60%) and voice chatting (47%). The types of information people sought from the CICs are news (88%), education (59%), entertainment (55%), business (47%), health (27 %), government (23%), agriculture (9 %) and other (3%). most of the users (87%) mentioned that the information and use was leading to their personal development. In terms of satisfaction about the CICs, more than one third of the users (36%) were satisfied.