Bangladeshi authorities have blocked Messenger Facebook, Viber, WhatsApp, Line and Tango following death penalties were upheld by the state’s highest court against two top opposition leaders for offenses committed during the nation ‘s 1971 war of independence on November 18. Similar opinions have activated fatal demonstrations before.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina suggested in the move a week past, citing security reasons.
Internet users avoid prohibition
BTRC attributes a “mistake” for the Internet blackout as the authorities directives simply requested to block some special services. Nevertheless, many of Internet users in the nation showed up on Facebook – once the Internet was restored – and posted opinions on the best way to avoid the government’s prohibition on the social networking network, educating individuals.

Sumon Ahmed Sabir, an online security specialist located in Dhaka told DW that, “Technically, it is impossible to fully obstruct anything on the Web. There are hundreds of back doors accessible to get blocked content.”
He said it is fairly natural for some technology-savvy individuals to figure out methods to utilize Facebook or make calls via Tango or Viber, although they may be now blocked in Bangladesh. “But the programs stay blocked to a lot of Internet users who do not understand how to circumvent the prohibition,” Sabir included.
But maybe more surprising is the reality that Bangladesh’s State Minister for Information and Communication Technology, Zunaid Ahmed Palak, posted a graphic from an occasion in Dhaka on his official Facebook profile on Thursday, regardless of the prohibition being in place. The ruling party in the country’s ‘s official Facebook page has been updated a few times in the last two days.
How successful are such prohibitions?
In recent months, Bangladesh has seen several assaults on foreign nationals, publishers and secularist bloggers carried out by religious fundamentalists that were supposed. Four atheist bloggers are killed for their writings criticizing Islam. Given these developments, blocking some programs and Facebook will not help enhance the security scenario, say security specialists that are online.
Almas Zaman, a cybersecurity specialist who has worked with the authorities, told DW he believed blocking Facebook and other programs “is an entirely inferior alternative to deal with protection issues.”