Bangladesh Bans Internet Shutdowns in Landmark Telecom Reform

In a sweeping and historic reform, Bangladesh’s interim government has amended the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulation Act, 2001, formally issuing the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026. The ordinance was promulgated on 5 February by the Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs.

The development was publicly confirmed on 11 February by Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser of the interim government, in a detailed statement shared on social media. Describing the reform as “a bold and humane recalibration of the relationship between the state and its citizens”, Taiyeb asserted that the amendment represents a decisive break from a past in which restrictive provisions of the telecom law were allegedly misused for unlawful surveillance and the silencing of dissent through internet shutdowns.

At the heart of the reform lies a provision of particular historical significance: the legal authority to suspend internet services has been withdrawn from the statutory framework. This effectively prohibits state-imposed internet shutdowns, thereby granting formal legal protection to digital connectivity, freedom of information, and the continuity of the digital economy.

Key Features of the Amendment

The ordinance also introduces a structured framework for surveillance, categorising interception requests as “emergency” and “non-emergency”. Each category is subject to clearly defined approval processes, documentation requirements, and review mechanisms. The Ministry of Home Affairs has been directed to draft detailed subsidiary regulations to operationalise the framework in line with international best practice.

Observers note that the telecommunications sector in Bangladesh is heavily investment-dependent, with both domestic and foreign stakeholders closely monitoring regulatory stability. By reducing financial penalties and restoring regulatory autonomy to the BTRC, the government seeks to signal a predictable and investor-friendly environment.

Taiyeb characterised the amendment as one of the interim government’s most consequential achievements. He extended congratulations to Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus and senior law enforcement officials, acknowledging their cooperation in facilitating what he termed a “milestone reform”.

Beyond its legal technicalities, the amendment carries substantial symbolic weight. In formally renouncing the power to shut down the internet, Bangladesh positions itself as seeking to align digital governance with principles of transparency, proportionality and fundamental rights—an evolution that may well prove pivotal in shaping the country’s democratic and economic trajectory in the digital age.