Internet services to be suspended across the country

Internet services will be suspended throughout the country for designated periods of time until February 24, according to a popular internet service provider in the country. The internet blackout will take place on the days when SSC exams are scheduled, reported UNB. In an email sent out to subscribers on Sunday evening, Link3 Technologies Ltd said the instruction to suspend the internet service had come from Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC). “As per the strict instruction received from BTRC, Internet Service will remain suspended during designated time frame,” the email read. A customer service representative in Link3's Dhaka office confirmed the matter when contacted by the Dhaka Tribune on Sunday evening. Requesting not to be named, the representative said all ISPs had received the same instruction. Aminul Hakim, president of Internet Service Providers Association of Bangladesh (ASPAB), told UNB that the internet blackout was imposed for 30 minutes – from 10pm to 10:30pm – on Sunday night on a trial basis. As per the schedule, on Sunday night, internet will remain suspended from 10pm to 10:30pm. Earlier on Sunday morning, mobile phone operators reduced the bandwidth of mobile internet services from 9:30am to 10am following the BTRC's instruction to prevent the leak of SSC exam question papers.

The schedule for internet blackout is as follows:

February 11: 10pm-10:30pm February 12: 8am-10:30am February 13: 8am-10:30am February 15: 8am-10:30am February 17: 8am-10:30am February 18: 8am-10:30am, 12pm-2:30pm February 19: 8am-10:30am February 20: 8am-10:30am February 22: 8am-10:30am February 24: 8am-10:30am