Mobile internet connection in Bangladesh was reinstated on Sunday after being restricted by the government for 10 days. The decision to shut down the internet was made to prevent the spread of fake news during student protests against quota reforms. Following the restoration of internet services, the Minister of State for Information and Communication Technology announced that 5GB of free internet would be provided to all users in the country for three days.
The shutdown of mobile internet was initiated on July 18 due to escalating violence across Bangladesh. The Department of Disaster Management building was set on fire during protests, which affected internet connectivity. Broadband internet was restored gradually, but mobile internet remained unavailable until Sunday. The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission has summoned representatives from social media platforms like Facebook, Tiktok, and YouTube to discuss the spread of fake news.
The protests in Bangladesh were sparked by reforms to government job quotas that provided 30% reservation for relatives of veterans. The violent clashes between students and police resulted in over 150 deaths, according to reports. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina defended her decision to impose a curfew and shoot-on-sight order to maintain order and ensure the safety of the people and their property. As the situation in Bangladesh slowly returns to normalcy, with traffic resuming and businesses reopening, internet connectivity has been restored to the country.
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