Bangladesh slows down mobile Internet speeds ahead of election

The Bangladesh election has been contentious, with often violent demonstrations held by supporters. (File/AFP)

• Local media said people using the Internet on their phones would not be able to stream or upload pictures or videos
• Daily Star cited an email sent to mobile operators by the telecom authority

DHAKA: Bangladesh has ordered the shutdown of high-speed mobile Internet services ahead of this weekend’s national election, the Daily Star reported on Friday citing an email sent to mobile operators by the telecom authority.
The newspaper said people using the Internet on their phones would not be able to stream or upload pictures or videos after the order was issued late on Thursday by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).
Reuters could not reach BTRC officials on Friday, a public holiday in Bangladesh, and there was no notification on the commission’s website. However, a Reuters reporter could still use 4G services on his phone on Friday morning.