Dhaka, Dec 10 (Just News): The hours-long restriction on 58 Bangladeshi news portals was a “trial run,” Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu said on Monday.
Claiming that those 58 news portals were circulating propaganda and fake news reports, the information minister told the Dhaka Tribune over phone that the exercise was done on a trial basis.
Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission reopened the news portals hours after access to those were restricted by the telecom regulator due to “national security” concerns on Monday.
BTRC Senior Assistant Director (media and communication wing) Md Zakir Hossain Khan told the Dhaka Tribune that they, as the technical authority, unblocked the portals around 5pm.
Also Read - BTRC reopens 58 news sites closed over 'national security' concern
The development took place following an order from BTRC Chairman Shahjahan Mahmood, Zakir said.
Earlier in the day, the BTRC official told the Dhaka Tribune that they blocked the news portals after the authorities concerned asked them to do so for the sake of “national security.” The regulator, however, did not elaborate the reasons.
The regulatory body on Sunday sent letters to international internet gateway (IIG) operators and internet service providers (ISP) to restrict access to these news sites.
“We gave the order based on recommendations from the government and law enforcement agencies,” Zakir told UNB on Monday.-Dhaka Tribune
(Justnews/ys/2200hr)
