Palak, NTMC ordered internet shutdown during student protests: Probe report

Former state minister for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak and the National Telecommunication Monitoring Center ordered the countrywide internet shutdown during the recent student protests, a probe committee said in its preliminary report.

Palak lied to the nation that internet blackout was a consequence of fire in some data centres, finds the probe committee formed by the interim government.

The seven-member committee headed by the division's Additional Secretary AKM Amirul Islam has submitted the report to the Advisor for Posts, Telecommunication and Information Technology Md Nahid Islam, and further investigation will continue, the Posts and Telecommunications Division said in a statement today (13 August).

Palak, bypassing the necessary administrative approval of the Posts and Telecommunications Division, verbally ordered and executed the internet shutdown and reopening through Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission Chairman Md Mohiuddin Ahmed, found the investigators.

The facts were found for partial mobile internet restrictions over the period of 15-16 July, broadband internet shutdown over 18-23 July, the statement added.

Besides, the National Telecommunication Monitoring Center (NTMC), which works under the Ministry of Home Affairs, ordered the complete mobile internet blackout over the period of 17-28 July and again on 5 August.

Palak, in the morning of 18 July told journalists that the government shut mobile internet down to prevent misinformation and inciting content on social media and later he kept blaming arson for internet shutdown.

Tech-savvy youth did not trust the narrative that the internet was not willfully shut down, they kept protesting on the street with a massive public support and their revolution later toppled the Awami League government on 5 August that forced the former prime minister Sheikh Hasina flee the country after her 15 year in power.