Tasneem Khalil

Posted on 06 October 2007 by Tasneem Khalil

BBC Bengali: Internet restrictions in Bangladesh

BBC Bengali service has covered the crackdown on internet users in Bangladesh with 3 interviews. BBC has confirmed that Bangladeshi authorities are compiling a database of internet users in the country and all the ISPs [Internet Service Provider] have been instructed to submit their client details: name, address, usage details. We attach audio clips of these interviews. Considering the public interest on the story, Rezwan has translated rush transcripts/excerpts of the BBC Bengali coverage.

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BBC Bengali, Parikrama, October 4:

Bangladesh Telecommunication regulatory commission [BTRC] has taken some measures to regulate internet usage [in the country] after a meeting with the Internet Service Providers Association of Bangladesh [ISPA]. BTRC has attempted to create a database profiling the internet users in Bangladesh.

ISPA general secretary Russell T Ahmed tells BBC Bengali: “The most important thing is security. You know that people are threatening with emails, using email for various things. If these are not controlled from a central point you cannot trace them. The whole thing is to establish a control mechanism. We ISPs have corporate clients as well as individual clients. They [BTRC] have expected the details of these clients from us. How much bandwidth they use, what are their IPs, what are their usage patterns? These are basically the requirements from us. What we can fathom is that this is to monitor and prevent people from doing anything outside the legal boundary with bandwidth purchased from ISPs.

8 Responses to “BBC Bengali: Internet restrictions in Bangladesh”

  1. Tasneem Khalil
    Rezwan Says:

    I wonder why Bangladeshi media is not picking up the story. Are they not concerned about it or something else has been keeping them?

  2. Tasneem Khalil
    MyAdhan Blog » Blog Archive » BBC Bengali: Internet restrictions in Bangladesh Says:

    [...] BBC Bengali: Internet restrictions in Bangladesh BBC Bengali service has covered the crackdown on internet users in Bangladesh with 3 interviews. [...]

  3. Tasneem Khalil
    Zafa Says:

    Bangladesh is being captive in the hands of a few people — not a single one of whom are elected by the people. It is indeed very ominous for the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.

  4. Tasneem Khalil
    Global Voices Online » Bangladesh: Bloggers protest internet user profiling Says:

    [...] BBC reports confirmed quoting the General Secretary of Bangladesh ISP that the whole point of the memo is to [...]

  5. Tasneem Khalil
  6. Tasneem Khalil
    Bangla Forum Says:

    Yes. I like the way you are thinking. I also used to think like that.

  7. Tasneem Khalil
    Caretaker Worried 1: Cyber Criminals in the Midst « Words & Bites Says:

    [...] that soon your security agencies will have the technical capability to monitor the internet traffic, I am sure your so-called ‘cyber criminals’ at home and abroad are now shaking in their [...]

  8. Tasneem Khalil
    Words & Bites » Blog Archive » Caretaker Worried 1: Cyber Criminals in the Midst Says:

    [...] that soon your security agencies will have the technical capability to monitor the internet traffic, I am sure your so-called ‘cyber criminals’ at home and abroad are now shaking in their [...]

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