Folks participate in a protest march in opposition to the mass arrest and killing of protesters throughout final week’s violence amid the anti-Qouta protests, in Dhaka on July 28, 2024. | Photograph credit score: AFP
Cell web connectivity was restored in Bangladesh on July 28, 10 days after authorities throughout the nation minimize it off to cease the unfold of faux information on social media amid lethal violence throughout the nation over reforms to the quota system in authorities jobs.
At a press convention in Dhaka, State Minister for Data and Communication Know-how (ICT) Zunaid Ahmed Palak introduced that 5GB of free web will likely be offered to all customers for 3 days after the connection is restored. Dhaka Tribune The newspaper reported.
Cell web connectivity was restored round 3pm native time.
Customers of Robi, Grameenphone, Banglalink and different operators in Dhaka mentioned they had been capable of entry the Web by their telephones round 3 pm, the report mentioned.
On July 18, the federal government shut down cellular web entry following escalating violence throughout the nation.
On the time, Mr Palak mentioned the choice was taken “in gentle of the present disaster within the nation and to cease the unfold of faux information on social media”. The every day star The newspaper reported.
The following day, amid escalating violence, the constructing of the Catastrophe Administration Division, which housed a knowledge centre, caught hearth. Though officers from the Web Service Suppliers Affiliation of Bangladesh (ISPAB) mentioned the hearth might scale back bandwidth provide by 30 to 40 %, broadband Web connectivity throughout the nation was disrupted inside an hour.
Bangladesh remained disconnected from each broadband and cellular web between July 18 and July 23, when broadband was restored in levels.
Nevertheless, cellular web was not accessible till Sunday.
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Relating to entry to social media platforms, Mr. Palak mentioned the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Fee (BTRC) has despatched letters to authorities of social media platforms together with Fb, Tiktok and YouTube.
“Their representatives have to come back to Dhaka earlier than July 31 to present explanations. Then, after discussing it with them, we’ll take a call,” he mentioned.
The BTRC is answerable for regulating all issues associated to telecommunications in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh witnessed violent clashes between police and protesters, principally college students, demanding an finish to a controversial quota system that reserved 30% of presidency jobs for kinfolk of veterans who fought in Bangladesh’s 1971 Conflict of Independence.
Web and cell phone providers have been disrupted following the violence that unfold throughout the nation.
On Monday, the highest courtroom diminished the veterans’ quota to simply 5%. Which means that 93% of civil service jobs will likely be based mostly on benefit, whereas the remaining 2% will likely be reserved for members of ethnic minorities, transsexuals and other people with bodily disabilities.
Based on native newspapers, the violence has killed greater than 100 individuals, however there aren’t any official figures accessible on the demise toll.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday defended her determination to impose a curfew with a shoot-on-spot order following the clashes, saying robust measures had been taken to make sure the protection of individuals’s lives and property.
Bangladesh slowly returned to regular on Wednesday with the return of visitors on the capital’s streets throughout rush hour and a restricted reopening of banks, garment factories and web providers.