Bangladesh is experiencing a complete internet shutdown enforced by the government to stop widespread student protests which has led to the death of 32 people.
The reason behind the mass protest is the country's quota system which reserves 56 per cent of public jobs for certain groups, according to AFP.
In Dhaka, the country's capital, protestors entered state broadcaster BTV, smashed windows and furniture, and set offices on fire, trapping several people inside, according to a post on BTV’s official Facebook page.
According to Al Jazeera, 17 people lost their lives amid a clash with police on Thursday.
The country has shut down internet and phone access throughout the country to halt the spread of misinformation and control the situation.
NetBlocks, a global internet monitor that works on digital rights examined live network data and highlighted the country was in the middle of a "near-total national internet shutdown."
According to internet watchdog Access Now, the number of shutdowns around the world has been on the increase.
In 2023, 39 countries collectively shut down internet access more than 160 times for various reasons like protests, exams, and elections.
India alone perpetrated more than half of such shutdowns -- grabbing the top spot for a sixth year in a row.
A total of 116 of such shutdowns were imposed by India which is currently governed by a Hindu right BJP government led by Narendra Modi.
Of these 116, 47 instances of shutdowns came from northeasters state Manipur, which was racked with ethnic violence in May 2023.
Bangladesh is a frequent user of this method of internet blackout for a variety of purposes.
According to Access Now, the country became the fifth-largest perpetrator of internet shutdowns in 2022.
The country's telecommunication regulator has pledged to provide internet access through the country's elections at the start of 2024 and that period has ended. However, the regulator blocked news websites during the election, despite the pledge.
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