On Thursday, amid the ongoing quota reform movement, social media was flooding with photos of injured and dead students, clashes, and help-seeking posts.
Some were looking for blood donors, first aid tools and ambulance services. Others were expressing their frustration at the government's handling of the situation.
The situation seemed to be turning from bad to worse with every refresh of the Facebook news feed.
With high-speed 4G internet services already suspended, people all over the country suddenly faced complete internet blackout at around 9pm, which continued till Tuesday night.
People who are mostly dependent on social media and mainstream media websites for updates were fully disconnected from what was happening outside their home. Their only means of getting the latest news was television, and those who did not own one were essentially out of the loop.
"Without the internet, it feels like I am back in the 90s. But there is no feeling of nostalgia here. It is sheer panic and uncertainty. Back then, we were not part of such a digital economy as we are now. Living without the internet was not such a big deal back then," said Md Tajul Islam, a journalist.
"All my money is in bank accounts, which I cannot access without the internet. So, there is a constant worry of running out of cash if such a situation continues for a few more days.”
He added that he had not been able to communicate with any of his family members living abroad. “If anything were to happen now, they would not even know about it. I have my mother living in my hometown; how would I go there if there is an emergency?”
Those living in Dhaka without a television at home were looking for newspapers to learn what had happened a day earlier.
A youth name Wasiq Sajid said as he did not have a television in the flat that he shared with several others. “We are depending on our colleagues and friends who have TVs. They are keeping us updated over the phone and letting us know about the current situation."
Meanwhile, Siam Haque, a marketing executive at a ceramics company, said the internet shutdown had hampered a social media campaign his office had initiated.
He added that his personal life had also been greatly affected as he was unable to keep in touch with his loved ones.
“My days have become extremely monotonous. The internet has become such an integral part of our daily lives that we forget to appreciate how consequential it is until it is gone.”