The preliminary investigation report into the reasons behind the multiple nationwide shutdowns of mobile internet and broadband internet has been revealed that the data center fire during the ongoing agitation amidst the anti-discrimination student movement had nothing to do with the internet shutdown. Rather, the internet was shut down across the country by order of the then State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak under the direction of BTRC Chairman Engineer Mohiuddin Ahmed, which resulted, the public life disturbed and the image of Bangladesh tarnished.
A 7 (seven) member committee was constituted for submitting an investigation report being instructed by Md. Nahid Islam, Honorable Advisor to the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology regarding the causes and relatedness of nationwide mobile internet and broadband internet shutdown. The committee has submitted its preliminary report.
According to sources, ISPAB President Imdadul Haque was the first to help in this fraud. It is alleged against him that he has worked in coordination with the state minister to establish this claim in addition to giving this disinformation about the fire in Khawaja Tower first on two televisions. There is also video footage of those speeches. The matter was clarified by the Mobile Consumers Association in a press conference on Tuesday. The businessmen of this sector think that the party identity and position of the ISPAB president has become clear in the internet shutdown. They have already demanded his resignation.
According to reports, former state minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak has lied and cheated the nation by linking the data center fire damage with internet shutdown. The matter of shutting down and restarting mobile internet during last 15-16 July 2024 and broadband internet from last 18 July 2024 to 23 July 2024 and on 5 August 2024 was executed by the verbal order made by the former Minister of State for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, Zunaid Ahmed Palak without any administrative approval of Department of Posts and Telecommunications. The shutdown was materialized under the guidance of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Chairman Engineer Md. Mohiuddin Ahmed.
On the other hand, from last July 17, 2024 to July 28, 2024 and on August 5, 2024, the issue of turning off and turning on the mobile internet was done under the guidance of the “National Telecommunication Monitoring Center” (NTMC) under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Sources from the ministry revealed that further investigation is ongoing.
