Bangladesh blocks Skype and Twitter in addition to 5 other sites

Image by Faisal Akram

Just last month, the Bangladeshi government took the unprecedented step of blocking six social media apps: Facebook, Messenger, Line, WhatsApp, Viber, and Tango, citing “threats to national security.”

The decision stemmed from a supreme court ruling sentencing two opposition leaders to death after finding them culpable for crimes committed during the 1971 war of independence. The Muslim-majority country remained deeply divided over the decision, with many factions of society registering strong protest and outright derision. Blocking access to social media sites was seen as a way to quell any attempts of mass mobilization.

Citizens breathed easier after regulators allowed access to Facebook on December 10. However, the Dhaka Tribune reports that the Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has issued directives to expand the scope of the ban, with chatting software Skype and microblogging site Twitter added to the mix.

The new instructions were sent to all telecom operators via email, with the ban taking effect “immediately and until further notice.”

Bangladesh has, in the recent past, seen a creeping wave of Islamic fundamentalism percolate through society. A number of secular bloggers and publishers have been murdered for espousing liberal views – with the self-styled ‘Islamic State’, or ISIS, claiming responsibility.

Source: Dhaka Tribune