3G, 4G data blackout in Bangladesh before general elections

The 3G and 4G mobile data services have been available in different parts of Bangladesh three days before the general election.

Regulators BTRC have not released a statement about the issue, but officials at the telecom operators told bdnews24.com they received “instructions” to halt the services temporarily.

Bangladesh is going to parliamentary elections on Dec 30. There have been speculations over partial internet blackout during the polls to prevent rumours and propaganda surrounding the vote.

People in Dhaka, Chattogram, Rajshahi, Mymensingh and many orger parts said they could not surf on internet from 10pm on Thursday.

Several officials at the mobile phone operators said the BTRC had instructed them to continue only 2G internet and voice call services until further notice.

“We’ve started executing the instruction after getting it around 10:30pm,” one of the officials told bdnews24.com on condition of anonymity.

Broadband internet users with fixed lines, however, are not facing the problem.

The number of internet connections was over 91.8 million as of November, according to the BTRC. They include 86 million mobile phone internet connections.

BTRC Acting Chairman Jahurul Haque did not take bdnews24.com call for comments.

Another official at the regulators, requesting anonymity, admitted to instructing the telecom operators to restrict internet services.