Bangladesh shut down mobile service along border with India amid discussions to remove intruders

Dhaka, Ta. December 31, 2019, Tuesday

At present, there is widespread opposition from the NRC and the CAA in the country, and the biggest impact is seen in the states along the Bangladesh border. Amidst this situation, the Bangladeshi government has suddenly suspended service on the border with mobile internet. The move was claimed by the Bangladesh government for security reasons.

The move will affect about 10 million users in border areas. In the area where all services including this internet are currently suspended or within one km. In a statement issued by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), telecom operators Grameenphone, Teletalk, Robi and BangladeshLink were told that network service in the border area would be suspended until a new order was issued.

Bangladesh Telecom Regulatory Commission said a high-level meeting was convened by the government in which the decision was taken. The reason for the suspension of the service was said to be a security threat, but there was no clarification as to what kind of security threat and the circumstances under which the decision was taken. When Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan was asked about the move, he declined to comment.

The decision of the Bangladesh government comes at a time when the Central Government of India has enacted the CAA law, and discussions with the NRC and NPA are underway. The dispute has led to claims that Indian citizenship will be granted to refugees from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Excluding Muslims. While the NRC has been implemented in Assam, under which 19 lakh people have failed to prove Indian citizenship. While there is speculation over where to send him in such situation, on the other hand, Bangladesh has increased its border security.