Stop harmful online games like PUBG, Free Fire: HC

The High Court on Monday asked the authorities concerned to take steps to remove harmful games including PUBG and Free Fire from online platforms in Bangladesh.

Justice Mojibur Rahman Mia and justice Kamrul Hossain Mollah passed the order after hearing of a writ.

The court also issued a rule seeking explanation as to why all types of online games and apps like Tiktok, Bigo Live, PUBG, Free Fire Games and Likee should not be banned.

Earlier on 24 June, Law and Life Foundation–a human rights organization–filed the writ petition with the High Court seeking directives to ban Likee, TikTok, Bigo Live apps, and PUBG and Free Fire games in Bangladesh.

Secretary to the post and telecommunication division, chairman of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission, education, home, law and health secretaries, and the inspector general of Bangladesh Police, Bangladesh Bank, bKash, Nagad and 18 other individuals and organizations were asked to respond to the rule within 10 days.

Lawyer Humayun Kabir Pallab appeared for the writ petitioner.

According to the writ petition, children and youth are being addicted to these games, destroying social values and culture.

Recently, Nepal banned PUBG. The game was banned in India's Gujarat. Some were arrested for playing this game. PUBG was temporarily stopped in Bangladesh too and later the ban was withdrawn.