Bangladesh Suspends Messaging Apps to Control Violence

Posted by David Gartner on January 19, 2015

The telecom authorities in Bangladesh have suspended popular messaging apps Tango and Viber in a bid to control the anti-government protests which have increasingly turned violent and are in their third week now.
The Bangladesh Telecommunications and Regulatory Commission has suspended these messaging apps “for the time being” after getting orders from security agencies and law enforcement high command.
No reason for this decision were given but a local Bangladesh TV channel Channel 24 claimed that Viber and Tango had been blocked to ensure that protesters do not exchange information with each other through out the country.

Tango and Viber have been popular among BNP (Bangladesh Nationalist Party) and its Islamist allies supporters which have been successfully enforcing an nationwide crippling transport jam strike in a bid to remove the present government.
The protesters have used violent methods which include firebombing trucks and buses and the security agencies have been using tear gas and rubber bullets. At least 25 people have been so far claimed by this latest wave of violence. About 12 people were burnt alive after the opposition protesters firebombed transport buses.
Opposition parties have been demanding that sitting prime minister Hasina steps down and calls fresh elections. Last year’s elections are controversial because opposition parties had boycotted it.