DMP wants BTRC to block 30 web pages

Dhaka Metropolitan Police has written to the BTRC to block 30 web and Facebook pages for allegedly inciting militancy or running anti-religion propaganda.

According to the DMP, 27 of them spread religious extremism, promote destructive activities and sabotage while the others sponsor anti-religion ideology and atheism.

“We have identified the pages and recently written to Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission as we found some people through these pages were trying to disturb religious harmony and promote militancy,” a DMP official said seeking anonymity.

On Thursday, DMP Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia said police identified some websites and social media pages which have been spreading religious fanaticism and misguiding youths.

Steps have been taken to block those web pages, he added.

DMP officials said militant outfits propagate their ideology and spread anti-government propaganda through the social media websites. Investigators found that many of the outfits target youths, establish contact with them over the social media and finally recruit them as operatives.

Earlier, a police investigation revealed that sermons of at least three local Islamic preachers were uploaded on video-sharing website YouTube which encouraged some youths to get involved in militancy. On the basis of the findings, the home ministry asked the BTRC to block the video links.

An official of the DMP's counter-terrorism unit said the web page administrators, mostly from abroad, open new pages soon after the closure of older ones to resume their activities. The law enforcers keep a close eye on such online activities round the year and ask the telecom regulator to block those pages, he added.

BTRC Chairman Shahjahan Mahmood said they already requested the Facebook authorities to remove the 27 pages.

The Facebook authorities verify complaints and take action on the basis of their findings, he told The Daily Star.

The social media platform so far granted around 60 percent requests from the BTRC, added Shahjahan.