The government has announced a strict clampdown on advertisements promoting gambling, betting and pornography, warning that any media or digital platform found running such content from Sunday, 19 October, will be blocked without prior notice.
In a press statement issued on Saturday by Muhammad Jasim Uddin, public relations officer of the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, authorities said several online platforms, websites, mobile applications, social media pages and electronic media outlets are still circulating promotional material linked to gambling, betting and explicit content.
The statement noted that such activities directly violate the Cyber Security Act 2025 and the Pornography Control Act 2012, both of which classify these acts as punishable offences. The government has already released multiple circulars and warnings on the matter but said non-compliance would no longer be tolerated.
Starting Sunday, any newspaper (including its online edition), news portal, television channel or website that airs or displays content related to gambling, betting or pornography will face an immediate shutdown or nationwide block, without any warning or follow-up notice.
The government reiterated that it remains committed to maintaining a safe, ethical and youth-friendly digital space. To enforce this directive, several agencies — including the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA), National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre (NTMC), National Security Intelligence (NSI) and the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) — are coordinating a joint monitoring and enforcement operation.
