Bangladesh authorities have shut down the internet connectivity on mobile networks across the country without prior announcement to control the on-going protest against the privilege system in public services.

The students' protesters have been organised through different mobile apps including WhatsApp and Facebook. There are local servers for these services including Youtube, sources confirmed The Mirror Asia.

State Minister for Telecommunications Zunaid Ahmed Palak considered the ‘cellular internet’ suspension upon media query.

“Mobile internet service suspended amid rise of propaganda on social media,” Palak told media after a programme on Thursday.

The local authority has downed the ‘cash server’ to tame the protest across the country, officials related to the project confirmed.  

Rights body activists mentioned that the shutdown of the internet without notice is a direct violence of human rights in the current context of connected society.

Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh (AMTOB), trade body of mobile network operators, didn’t provide any comment upon request.

“We aren’t aware of the issue,” Abdullah Al Mamun, head of communications at AMTOB, told The Mirror Asia.

Of total 141.28 million internet subscribers in Bangladesh, mostly (127.84 million) connected over mobile networks who suffer disruption after Wednesday midnight, according to the rights body.

Mohiuddin Ahmed, president of the Bangladesh Mobile Phone Consumers’ Association (BMPCA) regularly monitors the telecom services as a consumer rights platform.

BMPCA President Mohiuddin Ahmed said that the government can suspend internet connection for the sake of stability through notice.

“Internet is now a part of human rights. The telecom act enables the government to control the internet for state-security. However, an unofficial shutdown of the internet is a violation of rights,” Mohiuddin told The Mirror Asia.