Bangladesh moves to Ban Pornographic Websites

Bangladesh Telecommunications has decided to block pornographic websites and stop online publication of offensive “locally produced” porn contents. The process to block pornographic materials and websites online will begin as soon as mid January next year.

The drive against internet pornography will continue even after blocking the most common listed porn websites on the internet. “The availability of internet pornography and offensive content is creating a negative social impact on all the citizens, including the adolescents,” the Information Minister stated.

READ : India Bans Pornographic Websites

Ministry of Information, National Telecommunication Monitoring Cell, Internet Service Provider organisations and representatives from mobile operators and law enforcement agencies are backing the proposition which will be implemented very soon.

“Most of us give connections to real users like offices or corporations. But in my understanding, around 70 percent internet data used by mobile-phone users are spent on pornographic sites,” stated The Internet Service Providers Association of Bangladesh (ISPAB) President MA Hakim and also added that he “thinks” the order will NOT hit their business.

When asked whether the mobile-phone operators will face loss because of the decision, MA Hakim said, “I don’t think the operators consider doing business from these (pornographic sites).”

READ UPDATE : Bangladesh Bans Over 500 Porn Websites

According to the BTRC, the number of internet users was over 62.2 million by the end of August 2016. Of them, 58.3 million were accessing internet in mobile phones. The minister warned the ISPs and International Internet Gateway Operators (IIGs) of stern action if any of them defy the order to block the porn sites. Sumon Ahmed Sabir, Chief Strategy Officer of IIG operator Fiber@Home, also said the government decision is VERY LIKELY to hit their business hard!