DHAKA: The government has blocked three more popular online voice and messaging services—WhatsApp, Mypeople and Line—due to security purpose.

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Monday blocked the popular services after blocking Viber and Tango.

These five applications will not be available at least till January 21 midnight, a BTRC official said.

BTRC authorities sent letters to all mobile-phone and internet gateway operators of the country regarding the restriction. They also sent letters to foreign missions in Dhaka.

Sources said BTRC authorities sent letters to mobile operators first and later to the license holders of International Gateway (IGW) Services of the country.

Countrywide mobile phone users liked these applications for talking, chatting and sharing photos and videos. These applications can be used if mobile phone users already have WI-FI, 3G or 4G network connections.

Wishing anonymity, a BTRC official told banglanews that government blocked the popular services temporarily as criminals and militants now interacting themselves through these applications that hide users’ locations.

The decision of restriction was adopted to help the intelligence agencies, he added.

BDST: 1912 HRS, JAN 19, 2015