Facebook, other apps unblocked after 12 days

Popular social media apps including Facebook, WhatsApp, Messenger and Instagram were unblocked in Bangladesh on Wednesday afternoon after being restricted for 12 days amidst the nationwide violence over quota reform in government jobs.

The users can log in to the apps from 2pm without using any VPN apps.  

Earlier around 1pm, State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak, said social media platforms including Facebook would be accessible from this afternoon.

The state minister made the announcement after a meeting with representatives of the social media companies at the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) office in Agargaon, Dhaka. 

The state minister said we summoned representatives from various social media platforms to appear in person at the BTRC building today. As they could not come in-person, Meta’s representative Rezan Sarwar, on behalf of Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger, joined a meeting with us virtually. 

However, TikTok’s representative was present in the meeting in person while YouTube sought time for their explanation through an email, the state minister said. 

Mobile internet was shut down on the night of July 17, and broadband internet was cut off on the night of July 18. Since then, the social media apps including Facebook had been blocked in the country.