Iffat Ara Hossain, 13, a student of Viqarunnisa Noon School, was reading a book named “Science Fiction Samagra” written by Muhammad Zafor Iqbal for the last few days. Her father bought the book three years ago.

“I usually pass my leisure time by using social media – Facebook, YouTube and Tiktok. However, for the last few days, I cannot use those as the government has stopped internet service in the country. So, I am spending my time reading books which my father bought for me many years ago,” Iffat told the Daily Sun.

Like Iffat, people of different ages are spending their times in various constructive ways in the absence of the internet thanks to the shutdown of the internet following the ongoing students’ quota-reform movement.

For example, freedom fighter Md Zinnah Pramanik, 82, told the Daily Sun, “I am passing a golden similar to when the internet was not available in Bangladesh. During those times, we used to spend quality time with family members – wife, son, daughter, grandchild.”

“Besides, we are spending time reading newspapers, books, watching TV, playing indoor games, etc. Nowadays, we miss all these as most of the time we remain engaged with mobile phone, especially for using social media,” he added.

Social media takes so much time of ours that family members do not have time to talk to each other. People even do not have meal together on the dining table, said the freedom fighter.

Prof Nehal Karim, retired chairman of Sociology Department, University of Dhaka, told the Daily Sun many people can expend more time with family members due to internet blackout, which will help build good family bonding.

He also said people, who used to waste a significant amount of time on social media, have started spending their time constructively, for example, reading books. It is true that they will again go back to the social media once internet connection is restored but some of them will continue reading books. 

According to a report of the Bangladesh Sample Vital Statistics 2023, proportion of individuals (15+ years) using the internet is 50.10% in 2023 in the country. It was followed by 45.50% in 2022, 43.70% in 2021 and 43.50% in 2020.

Experts said people spend much time by unnecessary talking on WhatsApp and Messenger as it is quite cheaper compared to mobile internet. On the other hand, children spend a huge amount of time by watching cartoons and playing video games instead of playing in the field, which hamper their physical and mental growth.

They urged people to spend their time wisely while using internet.