The internet is completely shut down as the Bangladeshi government tries to quell widespread student protests that have left at least 32 dead. AFP. The unrest revolves around the country’s quota system, which requires one-third of government jobs to be reserved for relatives of veterans who fought for Bangladesh’s independence from Pakistan in 1971.
Several thousand protesters took part in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, on Thursday State broadcaster BTV broke windows and furniture, set fire to offices and trapped “many” people inside, according to a post on BTV’s official Facebook page. 17 people died in clashes with the police on Thursday. Al Jazeera. To control the situation, Bangladeshi authorities shut down internet and phone access throughout the country, a common practice in South Asia, to prevent the spread of rumors and misinformation and to enforce state surveillance. NetBlocks, a global internet monitor working on digital rights, has analyzed live network data showing that Bangladesh is in the midst of a “total national internet shutdown”.
⚠️ Confirmed: Live network data display #Bangladesh now in the midst of an almost total national internet shutdown; The new measure follows earlier efforts to clamp down on social media and restrict mobile data services, and comes amid reports of increasing deaths during student protests 📉 pic.twitter.com/nMwwS0MDnC
— NetBlocks (@netblocks) July 18, 2024
Internet shutdown a to eliminate conflicts in the countries of the world. Number of shutdowns worldwide, according to internet watchdog Access Now every year. In 2023, 39 countries shut down internet access more than 160 times for various reasons, including protests, exams and elections.
Bangladesh often blackens the internet to crack down on political opposition and activists. CIVICUS Monitor research tool that provides information on the state of civil society and freedoms in nearly 200 countries at the end of 2023 Bangladesh’s civic space is “closed”, the lowest possible rating since the country’s six internet shutdowns the previous year. This made Bangladesh the fifth biggest culprit of internet shutdowns in 2022, Access Now .
The country’s telecoms regulator had promised to maintain internet access through Bangladesh’s general elections in early 2024, but that election cycle has now ended. Despite the promise, Bangladesh to news sites during the elections.
