06 August 2024
The Bangladesh government has ordered mobile operators to shut down 4G services, just days after services were switched back on, amid a fresh wave of deadly violence as protesters demand the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
According to various media reports, mobile operators said they received orders from the government to shut off their 4G services. Of the over 131 million internet users in Bangladesh at the end of 2023, 118.49 million are mobile internet users. Access to social media sites has also been blocked for all internet users by order of the government.
This marks the second time in less than a month that mobile internet services in Bangladesh have been shut down by the government. Bangladesh’s mobile internet went dark on 17 July, followed by a complete internet blackout on 18 July. Fixed broadband connectivity was fully restored on 24 July, while mobile internet services came back online on 28 July.
The initial internet shutdown occurred after violence broke out amid student protests against a new government jobs quota system that allegedly favoured the ruling Awami League party led by Hasina. 150 people were reportedly killed in clashes between students, pro-Awami League groups and police.
The latest shutdown comes amid more protests over the weekend in which tens of thousands of protesters demanded Hasina’s resignation, which led to more violent clashes between the same groups. According to media reports, at least 100 people were killed.
