Internet Shutdowns

For approximately 24 hours, Internet access on mobile providers was shutdown, with multiple media reports indicating this shutdown was at the request of  the government of Bangladesh amidst renewed protests against the current government. On Monday, 5 August, reports emerged that the Prime Minister of Bangladesh had resigned and fled the country. As part of that, formation of an interim government was announced and Internet access began to be restored. Measurements as of 05 August at 13:00 UTC indicate that Internet connectivity is restored across the country. Data from Cloudflare Radar, IODA, and Google's Transparency Report showed the drop in traffic from mobile networks beginning around 07:30 am UTC on 4 August. This followed a government-mandated Internet shutdown for five days starting on July 18 and an ongoing blocking of various online services since July 16. On Monday, 5 August, there was a complete drop in all Internet connectivity visible in Google and IODA measurements, from approximately 4:30 - 7:30 UTC. After that, data shows a gradual restoration of Internet connectivity across all networks.

OONI data shows high anomalies in connecting to social media and messaging services in Bangladesh. This new data, combined with local reports, suggest that these services are being blocked again less than four days after they returned to normal. This new service-blocking event follows reports of a new Internet shutdown event in the country amidst renewed protests against the current government. [Update 6 Aug] OONI data shows that connectivity to social media and messaging services started to return to normal on 5 August, with low or no anomalies recorded on 6 August.

[UPDATE - 23 July 2024 - 13:00 UTC] - Connectivity is gradually returning to Bangladesh. (See charts below.) After 5 days, our NetLoss calculator estimates this shutdown has cost the Bangladesh economy over $21,965,222 USD. Data and reports show that mobile Internet has been shut down across much of Bangladesh amidst protests against the government. Media reports state that much of the protest activity is around the capital, Dhaka, and is related to quotas and hiring rules for civil service. Protests against the hiring practices have been ongoing for several days but have increased over the last day or so. Cloudflare Radar and IODA both showed the disruption of Internet connectivity starting with mobile networks early on 18 July and advancing to a complete loss of connectivity within the country around 15:00 UTC. The government of Bangladesh confirmed that they have ordered this shutdown. Over 40 civil society organizations that are part of the KeepItOn Coalition have signed a letter calling on the government of Bangladesh to restore Internet connectivity. The Open Observatory of Network Interference (OONI) indicates that they have seen blocking of social media sites beginning back on 16 July. If you are located in Bangladesh, you can help test Internet connectivity by running OONI’s mobile probe app on your mobile device. If the shutdown continues, our NetLoss calculator estimates there will be a loss to the Bangladesh economy of over USD $3,500,000 per day. Read more about Bangladesh's Internet infrastructure in our country report.

[Update 2 August] According to OONI data, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter services started to resume normal operations on 31 July, with no anomalies recorded on 1 August. [Update 28 July] There are reports that Facebook is being blocked in Bangladesh, coinciding with the protests against a quota system for jobs in the public sector in Dhaka. Initial data from OONI (see report) suggests the block is only for Facebook and was in place from 16 July. Facebook and all Internet services were subsequently unreachable during the five and a half day Internet shutdown from 18 to 25 July. Following the shutdown, OONI testing shows that Facebook is still being blocked as are other Meta services, including Facebook Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp.OONI notes that its testing suggested "potential temporary blocking of WhatsApp on 17th July 2024 between 7:00 to 9:00 am UTC. More specifically...attempted connections to WhatsApp’s registration service and WhatsApp Web failed, resulting in connection reset errors." Since July 24 there have also been increases in anomalies (signals of potential censorship) for tests to Signal, Telegram, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube. No cause documentation has been made apparent thus far.    

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) directed telecom operators to shut down Internet services on Saturday, 28 October 2023, from 11:00 to 20:00 local time in the capital, Nayapaltan, in response to a local political rally. A source from the BTRC confirmed the matter to Jago News. Internet shutdowns during protests or civil unrest impact the ability of citizens to get accurate information from government sources when they need it most. It also becomes harder for citizens to contact family members and friends in other parts of the country, or in other countries.

Bangladesh mobile operators GrameenPhone, Robi Axiata and Banglalink were ordered to shut down 3G and 4G services in the wake of attacks on religious sites in an attempt to quell rising violence. Internet shutdowns during protests or civil unrest impact the ability of citizens to get accurate information from government sources when they need it most. It also becomes harder for citizens to contact family members and friends in other parts of the country, or in other countries.  

There are reports that Facebook and its messaging app have been restricted in Bangladesh since Friday, 26 March 2021. Reports suggest that the services are being blocked during the two-day visit of India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi's two-day visit to the country, which has led to protests.

The shutdown of roughly 2,000 mobile phone towers affected 32 border districts, with roughly 10 million mobile phone subscribers.

Internet restrictions imposed on camp locations in Teknaf and Ukhiya in Cox’s Bazar limited communications and access to information for nearly one million Rohingya refugees, and prevented humanitarian and aid organizations from providing assistance, including emergency services to those residing in the camps. One aid worker speaking to Human Rights Watch said the shutdown kept them from corresponding with refugees on emergency infrastructure repairs during the monsoon season. The shutdown extended to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. An open letter signed by 50 humanitarian organisations for the Bangladesh government pointed out that it restricted the ability of aid groups to coordinate preventive measures, deliver information about the coronavirus to refugees, refer patients to isolation facilities, and conduct ‘contact tracing’ to prevent its spread – activities that are slow and risks further exposure to the virus if done in person. Aid workers, health volunteers and community leaders rely on Whatsapp to communicate with and provide updates to refugees and each other. The Internet blackout had impeded timely intervention  to stop the spread of measles in the camps in January 2020, leaving a dozen children dead. It has likewise prevented refugees from communicating, and receiving news on conditions in Rakhine State from their loved ones who are still in Myanmar.

The order cut Internet services off completely in camps where Rohingya refugees were residing, and restricted the sale of mobile phones, SIM cards and services to Rohingya refugees. Blocking Internet access in areas where a humanitarian crisis is in full swing has detrimental consequences on aid agencies who need reliable access to coordinate, on the refugees themselves, many of whom depend on the Internet to communicate with loved ones and receive financial support from relatives around the world, and the local population in the areas where the Internet is being restricted.