Bizarre claims and apologies: The statements of Palak during internet blackouts

As clashes between quota reforms protestors, law enforcers and Awami League activists raged across the country, a partial internet blackout started in Bangladesh from 16 July when telecom regulator BTRC ordered operators to shutdown 4G internet services in over 50 university areas. 

The next day, the government shutdown mobile internet across the country. At the time, Zunaid Ahmed Palak, the state minister for ICT, said 4G was shut down to help law enforcers tackle the situation in the country. But broadband internet continued. 

On 18 July, a fire broke out in the building of the Department of Disaster Management in the capital's Mohakhali area, reportedly damaging the internet transmission lines of some data centres hosted in adjacent buildings and affecting internet speeds. 

Later, at around 9pm, users across Bangladesh faced a complete broadband blackout, leaving them totally disconnected from the outside world. 

These are statements Zunaid Ahmed Palak made in order to defend the move.

16 July

Palak announces that the government will take stringent measures against social media platforms like Facebook and YouTube if they fail to cooperate in curbing misinformation and rumours. 

"There is a concerted effort to create chaos in the country by disseminating false information." 

18 July 

"A vested quarter is trying to destabilise the law and order situation by spreading rumours on social media. That is why we have disconnected the internet services without any prior declaration. Internet services will be brought back to normal when the situation improves," Palak said at an event.

"We won't spare the social media companies if lives are lost due to their questionable rules and regulations. They will have to set up data centres in Bangladesh if they want to run their business here."

24 July 

"Countrywide broadband internet will be reactivated tonight on a trial basis… However, there will be no mobile internet for now," the state minister told the media at the BTRC building in Agargaon. 

"But access to social media sites, including Facebook, will be restricted. By tonight, full broadband internet services will be available at homes."

27 July

Palak claimed the government did not shut down the internet at an event held at Agargaon in the capital marking Sajeeb Wazed Joy's 54th birthday.

"The internet was shut down due to the burning of three data centres and cables. Because of this, there has been a loss of Tk 500 crores in the telecom sector alone, and hundreds of crores in total."

He also said there were attacks at 17 locations in Dhaka Division. "In Mohakhali, three data centres housed 18 IIG systems, which host 70% of the ISP servers, causing the internet disruption. We did not intentionally shut down the internet."

Palak also claimed that the disruption was a result of planned sabotage.

28 July

Users of all mobile operators will get a 5GB internet bonus which will be valid for next three days, Palak said while briefing the media following a meeting between the Information and Communication Technology Division, BTRC and Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh.

"It will take a couple more days to restore the internet if people are to be returned the remaining volume of their data packs, which were lapsed during the internet blockout, that is why we decided to allot a 5GB bonus for everyone."

Regarding removing restrictions on social media platforms, he said letters have been sent to Facebook, TikTok, and other social media platforms. In the letter, they were given until 31 July to respond and were asked to be physically present at BTRC office on the same day.

"They have removed very few of the contents we asked them to delete. While extremists' pages remain active, they have taken down 50 pages supported by the Awami League."

He added that updates regarding the restoration of social media will be provided on 31 July.

Palak also claimed that using VPN is risky.

30 July 

"The government is not regulating internet speeds. The 5,000% increase in the use of virtual private networks, or VPNs, is not only creating cyber risks, but also increasing international bandwidth wastage," he said after an emergency meeting related to cyber security at the ICT Tower in the capital's Agargaon.

"More than 50,000 cyber attacks took place on the websites of eight government institutions, including Bangladesh Bank, in the 10 days since quota reform violence broke out. But the hackers did not get access to any information other than the domain name system (DNS)."

He notes that Facebook and YouTube have not responded to the government's recent letters that asked global tech giants to 'follow Bangladesh's law', but TikTok has replied.

"We have given them time to respond. TikTok has replied by email that they are very sincere in helping the government. But the remaining two haven't responded so far." 

31 July

"Considering everything, we are withdrawing the restrictions imposed on some social media temporarily, from today. Facebook, TikTok and YouTube will open by the afternoon," Palak said.

1 August 

"The government is planning to establish an emergency network continuity protocol to protect businesses, especially the internet-dependent ones, from being harmed by any future connectivity issues," the state minister for Posts, Telecommunications and ICT told reporters following a meeting with the representatives from major ICT-based businesses at his Secretariat office.

"The recent unrest led to infrastructure damage and an internet blackout, resulting in an estimated financial loss of around Tk18,000 crore for government and private entities involved in telecommunications, IT, and IT-enabled services."

2 August

Palak issued an apology during a meeting organised by Singra upazila unit Awami League at his residence in Natore.

"If I have made any mistakes, as a worker of Sheikh Hasina, and Awami League, I apologise publicly. I also take the responsibility for the internet disruption, and failure to prevent rumours on social media. I promise to accept any punishment or decision in this regard. 

"It is not the students' fault that a distance has been created with them… It is our fault. This is our responsibility... we cannot avoid this failure," he added.

"Please don't misunderstand people's leader Sheikh Hasina. If she is not safe, then Bangladesh will not be safe."

4 August

"We have not shut down the internet anywhere. There has been no directive to do so," Palak said after mobile operators informed that the government has once again ordered a mobile internet blackout.

"Many places are under attack. Fibre cables are being cut. Just today, several of our locations were set on fire…it's impossible to provide uninterrupted internet service amid such vandalism."