Bangladesh’s interim government vows to protect digital rights, pledging to end legal internet shutdowns and recognise internet access as a civic right.
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| Bangladesh’s interim government is amending telecom laws to outlaw internet shutdowns, positioning access as a fundamental civic right. Image: CH |
DHAKA, Bangladesh — April 7, 2025:
Bangladesh’s interim government has pledged to permanently end the legal grounds for internet shutdowns, declaring its intention to enshrine internet access as a civic right in the country’s laws.
Speaking at the inaugural session of Bangladesh Startup Connect 2025 in Dhaka on Monday, Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser for the ICT Division, said the administration is working hard to ensure uninterrupted digital connectivity for all citizens.
“We are working to declare the internet as a civic right in Bangladesh,” said Taiyeb during a panel discussion, adding that reforms are underway to revise the Telecommunication Act 2001, specifically to remove clauses that have enabled internet blackouts in the past.
He noted that the current NGSO (Non-Geostationary Satellite Orbit) guidelines already contain no provision for internet shutdowns and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to safeguarding digital access.
The panel was part of Startup Connect 2025, a major tech and investment event jointly organised by Startup Bangladesh Limited, the ICT Division, and the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA). The event spotlights the nation’s rapidly evolving startup ecosystem and its integration into global investment networks.
Other speakers included Bangladesh Bank Governor Ahsan H Mansur, BIDA Executive Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun, and ICT Division Secretary and Startup Bangladesh Chairman Shish Haider Chowdhury, all of whom echoed support for digital freedoms and innovation.
The move comes amid growing international scrutiny over the use of internet restrictions to suppress dissent and control information. Bangladesh’s push to legislate internet as a civic right signals a broader commitment to digital inclusion and human rights in the country’s post-crisis governance.