Bangladesh has implemented a second internet blackout in three weeks following a new wave of anti-government protests that have resulted in at least 90 deaths and hundreds of injuries.
The unrest, centered in Dhaka and other areas, has intensified as student leaders have launched a campaign of civil disobedience demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Dhaka has been barricaded, with army units and police deployed throughout the city. The government has declared a three-day holiday, leading to the closure of businesses and courts.
The student protests, which began with calls to end quotas in civil service jobs, have evolved into a broader anti-government movement. The death toll has now surpassed 280, with most casualties being protesters shot by security forces.
On Sunday, thirteen police officers were killed when thousands of protesters attacked a police station in Sirajganj. Both police and some ruling party supporters were reported to have fired live ammunition at protesters, in addition to using tear gas and rubber bullets.
The government ordered mobile operators to shut down 4G services on Monday, leading to what NetBlocks, a watchdog on internet freedom, described as a near-total national internet shutdown. This follows previous social media and mobile internet restrictions.
Internet blackouts are a common tactic for authoritarian regimes to control information and suppress dissent. In 2023, there were 283 government-imposed internet outages across 39 countries, up from 202 shutdowns in 2018, according to Access Now, a digital censorship monitoring organization.
Previously, on July 18, the Bangladeshi government had also cut mobile internet services to curb protests. Broadband was restored a week later, with mobile services returning shortly thereafter.
Despite the internet blackout and an indefinite nationwide curfew imposed on Sunday, protests continue unabated across Bangladesh. On Monday, thousands marched in Uttara, a Dhaka suburb, chanting and calling for Hasina’s resignation, while being monitored by army personnel and police stationed throughout the capital.