DHAKA: The government has decided to keep the social communication media, facebook, closed for a few more days to identify terrorists and detain them easily.

Sources said home ministry will direct the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to open facebook after holding a meeting with law enforcing agencies and taking suggestions from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in this regard.

The ministry, however, did not clarify for how long the site will be kept closed.

Home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal told banglanews that shutting down of facebook forced terrorists to use mobile phones for internal communications. “It has made tracking them easier,” he added.

In a measure to thwart probable violence centering the execution of war criminals Salauddin Quader Chowdhury and Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid, BTRC shut down access to social communication media like facebook, viber, whatsapp and messenger from Bangladesh on November 18.

On the next day, Home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said government shutdown these media as per requests of law enforcing agency to ensure safety.

After execution of S Q Chowdhury and Ali Ahsan Mujahid on November 22, state minister for posts and telecommunication affairs Tarana Halim said facebook would be opened whenever the home minister gives a green signal.

In the night of November 26, Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal talked to the premier over enduring situation in the country and opening facebook.

BDST: 1811 HRS, NOV 27, 2015
SR