Is digital access improving Bangladeshi adolescents with disabilities’ lives? A qualitative study to explore online sexual exploitation risk

Introduction Online access in Bangladesh has proliferated rapidly. Adolescents with disabilities are spending increasing amounts of time online, bringing opportunity and heightened risk, including online sexual exploitation. This article explores whether digital access is improving the lives of adolescents with disabilities in Bangladesh.Methods Twenty-five adolescents with disabilities participated in small group interviews, alongside 25 caregivers and 15 stakeholders. We explored how adolescents navigate the online world, benefits and risks, and ways for support and empowerment.Results Findings reveal a ‘progress paradox’. While connectivity and participation have increased, progress is undermined by disability- and gender-related stigma, assumptions, and digital literacy gaps, leaving adolescents simultaneously more connected and more vulnerable.Conclusion Increased online participation has not been matched with protection systems. Without adequate support, greater access may amplify risk. Digital progress for adolescents with disabilities remains partial and uneven, underscoring the need to pair access with protection, inclusion, and empowerment.