BTRC to build capacity to block internet instantly

The telecom regulator yesterday decided to build the capability to block internet access in a certain area within minutes under special circumstances, like the July 1 Gulshan café attack.

It takes three to four hours to implement a decision about blocking internet in any specific area or block any content from the web, said BTRC Chairman Shahjahan Mahmood.

“We want to respond within an hour if possible within 10 minutes,” he said, adding that they want to have the technical expertise and capability for this.

“Technically the BTRC is not well empowered even though people expect a lot from us,” said Mahmood. He said the government needs to take massive programmes to overcome the cyber security challenges.

At a meeting, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) decided to have a rapid action plan so that it could respond faster in critical situations and ensure cyber security.

The meeting also decided to block certain videos on YouTube and other platforms. It plans to have meetings with mobile operators in the coming weeks to make the process faster.

Earlier, the BTRC directed internet gateway operators to block video clips of the Gulshan café attack and the clip of three Bangladeshi youths threatening further attacks.

Before Eid, it had directed the internet gateway operators to block sermon videos of three local Islamic preachers.

In the meeting, BTRC officials discussed the challenges in blocking contents of a dynamic website.