TDS Desk:

Bangladesh is once again connected to 4G internet, 10 days after mobile internet connectivity was restricted across the country due to the quota reform movement.

Zunaid Ahmed Palak, the state minister for ICT, earlier on Sunday said at a briefing that mobile internet was likely to be restored across the country around 3:00pm.

Early on July 18, amid the escalation of violent clashes taking place across the country centring the quota reform movement, the government shut down mobile internet.

At the time, Palak said the decision was made “in light of the current crisis in the country and to stop the spread of fake news on social media.”

The next day, amid escalating violence around 8:00 pm, the Department of Disaster Management building was set on fire, adjacent to which is a data centre. While Internet Service Providers Association of Bangladesh (ISPAB) officials said that the fire might cut 30-40 per cent of the bandwidth supply, broadband internet connection for the entire country was disrupted within an hour.

Bangladesh stayed disconnected from both broadband and mobile internet between July 18 and July 23, when broadband internet was restored in stages.

However, mobile internet remained unavailable until July 28.

The State Minister for ICT has also announced that 5GB internet will be given for free to all users for three days after the connection is restored.