Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)– The government has blocked social networking website Facebook “to contain negative campaigns” centring the judgement in war crimes trial of top Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee.
“The move was taken to stop spread of negative propaganda which may lead to slide in law and order,” the Daily Stat, a local newspaper, reported quoting a well-placed source with the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission said confirming the action.
Facebook was shut down around 11:00am (local time), he said.
Experiencing difficulties in accessing the popular social networking site, many people contacted The Daily Star to inquire whether the government shut it down.
Contacted, an official said BTRC authorities received government instruction to block Facebook in the morning and conveyed the message to various Internet gateways later.
However, people in many parts of the city were able to access Facebook through mobile phones.
BBN/SSR/AD-28Feb13-2:30 pm (BST)