Internet speed reduced for BNP's Naya Paltan rally

Mobile operators said they were instructed to reduce internet speed in Naya Paltan, but the BTRC refuted the claim

Mobile operators have claimed they were instructed by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Agency (BTRC) to reduce internet speed in Dhaka's Naya Paltan ahead of the BNP's antigovernment rally in the area.

However, the BTRC refuted these claims, saying they had not issued such instructions.

Amid a tense atmosphere surrounding the BNP rally in Naya Paltan, several political groups and alliances, including Jamaat-e-Islami, organised antigovernment programmes in Dhaka on Saturday. The ruling Awami League also held a counter rally outside the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque.

Consequently, many people experienced slow internet connectivity. Journalists covering the events in Naya Paltan also faced network issues.

"We received instructions the night before the event to reduce the internet speed to 2G. However, there was no directive to completely shut down the internet," said an official from a mobile operator.

The BNP and other opposition groups are staging protest rallies in the city to demand the formation of a non-partisan caretaker government to oversee the upcoming election.