The government’s decision to cut mobile internet access was a response to escalating violence during the protests...
Digital Desk: Mobile internet services in Bangladesh were reinstated on Sunday, marking the end of a 10-day restriction imposed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government. The shutdown, which began on July 18, was implemented to curb the spread of misinformation amid widespread student protests against quota reforms.
According to the Dhaka Tribune, Zunaid Ahmed Palak, the Minister of State for Information and Communication Technology (ICT), announced that all users in Bangladesh would receive 5GB of free internet data over three days as a gesture of goodwill. This measure aims to restore connectivity and alleviate some of the disruptions caused by the shutdown.
The government’s decision to cut mobile internet access was a response to escalating violence during the protests, which included the arson of the Department of Disaster Management building.
This incident occurred near a critical data center, prompting the Internet Service Providers Association of Bangladesh (ISPAB) to warn of potential disruptions to 30-40 percent of the country’s bandwidth supply. The ensuing fire led to a nationwide disconnection from both broadband and mobile internet from July 18 to July 23. While broadband services were gradually restored, mobile internet remained suspended until Sunday.
Minister Palak further revealed that the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) had contacted major social media platforms, including Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube, to manage the situation and mitigate the impact of fake news. This proactive approach underscores the government's efforts to balance maintaining public order with ensuring continued access to digital communication.
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