Bangladesh Bans WhatsApp, Other Social Media Platforms

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has directed mobile operators to ban access to Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp, and YouTube, effective immediately.

BTRC’s move comes after a ten-day internet outage was restored on Friday at 3 pm.

According to sources, the decision was made during a meeting on Friday, attended by State Minister for Post, Telecom, and ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak, telecom operators, and government agencies.

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Palak confirmed that letters have been sent to the affected social media companies.

Reports indicated that the ban is expected to greatly reduce data usage in the country.

It was disclosed that the ban is in connected to the recent violence caused by the quota reform movement.

Social media platforms were accused of spreading rumors and fake news. It led to the internet shutdown on July 17, 2024.

Palak previously accused social media platforms of non-compliance with the country’s laws on July 24.