Bangladesh saw three internet shutdowns last year: report

Bangladesh saw three internet shutdowns last year, and all of those were executed to crack down on dissent, according to Access Now, an organisation advocating for digital civil rights.

The organisation said this in their latest report, titled "Shrinking Democracy, Growing Violence", which was published on its website today. It said globally internet shutdowns have been used by authorities as a tool to enable and exacerbate violence.

India topped the list with 116 internet shutdowns last year.

"Governments continued to shut down the internet and critical digital communication platforms to muzzle expression, block access to life-saving information, and cover up heinous crimes against humanity," said the report.

It said governments intentionally disrupted internet access to coincide with important national events such as protests and political instability, elections etc with one aim -- to restrict the flow of information and control the narrative.

"Despite the fact that these shutdowns flagrantly violate human rights enshrined in national, regional, and international frameworks, governments deliberately imposed shutdown to advance their own political interests -- harming people and communities and endangering lives," it added.

Bangladesh has experienced shutdowns in five or more consecutive years since 2016, found the report.