The interim government has officially scrapped its controversial plan to enforce a symbolic one-minute internet blackout across the country.
The decision follows widespread criticism on social media and concerns from citizens over the necessity and relevance of such a measure.
The proposed blackout was part of the "July Reawakening Program," a set of commemorative events announced by the interim government on Wednesday evening.
According to the original plan, internet access across Bangladesh would be suspended for one minute at 9:00 PM on July 18.
The gesture was intended to mark the moment in 2024 when the previous government shut down mobile internet during mass protests, as a means of suppressing dissent.
The blackout was to be executed by the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology.
However, the announcement drew significant backlash from netizens, who took to social media platforms to criticize the plan as performative and impractical.
Some labeled the idea a "cheap gimmick," while others humorously suggested that internet services should be made free on that day instead.
On Thursday, cultural affairs adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki confirmed the cancellation of the internet shutdown in a Facebook post. He stated that the government had decided to remove the blackout from the program in light of the public`s response.
The rest of the “July Reawakening” schedule is expected to proceed as planned, though this incident has raised questions about the approach and messaging of the interim administration`s commemorative efforts.
