Bangladesh has restored internet services as the country returns to normalcy after student-led protests against reforms to job quotas were called off. The protests, which began in universities and colleges last month, had escalated into nationwide demonstrations, resulting in injuries to thousands and a crackdown by security forces.
The government had suspended internet services to rein in the violence, but with the situation now under control, broadband and mobile internet connectivity have been restored with full functionality. The foreign ministry confirmed the restoration of internet services in a statement on Sunday.
The student-led protests were sparked by a high court order to restore quotas in government jobs, including reservations for families of veterans of the 1971 war for independence from Pakistan. The protesters demanded reforms to the quota system, and after the Supreme Court scrapped most quotas on July 21, opening 93% of jobs to candidates selected on the basis of merit, the students agreed to pause their agitation.
The protests had drawn international attention, with the United Nations, international rights groups, the U.S., and Britain criticizing the use of force against protesters and urging the government to uphold the right to peaceful protest. The U.S. State Department on Monday called for “a full and undisrupted public access to internet and social media services.”
The Bangladeshi government has faced criticism for its handling of the protests, with opponents accusing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of growing increasingly autocratic during her 15 years in power. The government has denied these allegations, blaming the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Jamaat-e-Islami party for the violence.
With the internet services restored and the protests called off, the country is slowly returning to normalcy. The students have called for educational institutions to reopen, and the government is working to address the concerns of the protesters.
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