Social media including Facebook, Twitter, TikTok can be activated from tomorrow. In this case, it is known from related sources that a positive decision can be made only if the government has asked Facebook for an explanation.
At one stage of the movement demanding cancellation of the job quota, the government shut down broadband, mobile internet and social media. When the situation normalized, the government opened mobile internet last Sunday. Before this, broadband internet was opened across the country on the night of July 21. On July 17, the government shut down various social media including mobile internet and Facebook, Tiktok.
State Minister for Telecommunication and Information Technology Junaid Ahmed Palak, after a meeting with intelligence agencies including the Association of Mobile Phone Operators of Bangladesh (MTOB) at the BTRC conference room on Sunday, indicated that social media should be opened with the launch of mobile internet. But in this case some conditions are added.
The government wrote to Facebook last Saturday. In that letter, the government has created a chaotic situation in the country due to the unwanted violence, misinformation and rumors spread in the country in the last one month. That content is sent to them and asked to download it. Content that has been taken down is unacceptable.
Junaid Ahmed Palak said, Facebook's policy is effective in other countries, is it done in Bangladesh? They blocked 50 pages and accounts of Awami League. But why are the contents of BNP doing similar work not being taken down. They have not played any responsible role in arson, terrorism, murder. 5 people died after several hours of disinformation spread through Facebook, rumors and false information. Facebook can avoid the responsibility. They have been asked for written and oral explanations. When they come to Dhaka and give a proper explanation in this regard, a decision will be taken.
The issue of closing Facebook was discussed on the day of the National Parliament election on January 7. Some secretaries raised this demand in a meeting with the Chief Election Commissioner. But in the end, Facebook did not close. However, Facebook was closed in Bangladesh even during the execution of war criminals.
According to a data of social media management and analytics platform Napoleoncat, the number of Facebook users in Bangladesh was 58.9 million till July last year.