The recent events in Bangladesh have brought the country to a standstill, with protests erupting over a new government jobs quota system that favored the ruling Awami League party. The situation escalated over the weekend as tens of thousands of people took to the streets demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, whose government’s violent crackdown on the protests resulted in the reported deaths of over 200 individuals. The unrest reached a boiling point on Sunday, with close to another hundred people losing their lives in clashes.
In response to the escalating protests, the government ordered a complete shutdown of all broadband services in the country, marking the second such shutdown in less than a month. This move not only hindered the ability of citizens to communicate and share information about the ongoing protests and violence but also had a significant impact on their livelihoods. The shutdown disrupted access to mobile financial services, causing losses in the telecoms and digital commerce sectors amounting to several million US dollars per day.
The internet blackout, which began on July 18 and lasted until July 28, with social media platforms remaining blocked until July 31, further exacerbated the economic repercussions of the protests. State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak estimated losses of BDT180 billion (US$1.5 billion) for the private and public telecoms ICT sector alone. The Bangladesh Foreign Investors Chamber of Commerce & Industries (FICCI) projected losses for the overall economy to exceed US$10 billion as of July 28.
Amidst the chaos, Telenor Asia, the owner of Bangladesh telco Grameenphone, announced that Grameenphone’s 3G and 4G services had been reinstated following dialogue with the authorities. Internet monitoring firm Netblocks also confirmed that all internet services in Bangladesh had been restored on Monday. This development comes as Bangladesh’s military chief, Gen. Waker-uz-Zamam, has temporarily taken control of the country, with President Mohammed Shahabuddin announcing plans to dissolve Parliament and form a national government, followed by new elections.
The events unfolding in Bangladesh serve as a stark reminder of the power dynamics at play in the country and the impact of political unrest on its citizens and economy. As the nation navigates through this tumultuous period, the restoration of broadband services provides a glimmer of hope for normalcy to return and for dialogue to pave the way towards a peaceful resolution.