The government has decided to withdraw the ‘one-minute internet blackout’ from ‘July reawakening’ events. The update was confirmed on Thursday through Cultural Affairs Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki’s verified Facebook post.
Farooki in his post said that the idea of the symbolic internet blackout had been under debates and crosscurrents from the very beginning. He admitted that although the plan was dropped at one stage, it was later re-included during discussions. “Many of us agreed it was probably not a great idea,” he wrote.
He acknowledged that such oversights can occur during large-scale planning, but thanked everyone who raised concerns over the issue. “We have held an urgent internal meeting and officially decided to exclude the symbolic one-minute internet blackout from the final programme.
Meanwhile, Elon Musk’s satellite-based internet service company Starlink launched its service in Bangladesh on 20 May,2025, offering high-speed connectivity in remote and hard-to-reach areas. Two packages are currently available: Starlink Residence and Residence Lite, priced at Tk 6,000 and Tk 4,200 per month respectively, with a one-time equipment cost of Tk 47,000.
ICT experts say Internet users in Bangladesh are among the world’s most active online, with mobile and broadband adoption skyrocketing. As of September 2024, Grameenphone alone connected about 84.8 million subscribers, largely using advanced 4G networks across rural and urban landscapes,
However, despite this scale, connectivity remains inconsistent—particularly in remote areas where fiber or microwave backhaul is limited. Nearly 65 percent of telecom towers in rural zones still rely on microwave links, limiting both speed and reliability.
This fragmentation was evident during nationwide internet blackouts in mid‑July to early‑August 2024, when government-ordered shutdowns disrupted economic activities, especially for freelancers and small businesses who rely on internet access.
Starlink’s rollout marks a watershed in Bangladesh’s digital transformation—promising robust, resilient internet nationwide. Yet its impact will depend on affordability, policy clarity, and how quickly users and institutions adapt.