3G, 4G services suspended

The government has suspended 3G and 4G mobile internet services for 24 hours in the wake of the ongoing student agitation demanding safe road.

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission issued the order on Saturday evening.

Accordingly, mobile phone internet subscribers have started facing the consequence -- slow speed of internet -- since 7:30pm, some subscribers said.

Asked about this, BTRC acting chairman Md Jahurul Haque told Prothom Alo that the telecommunication regulator sometimes has to implement certain directives coming from the government's high ups.

"It's not like stoppage of internet; subscribers would have to face difficulties in some areas for the network," he added.

Mobile operators, however, declined to comment officially on the matter but they too confirmed the suspension of 3G and 4G network.

The police, earlier, recommended suspension of 3G and 4G network of mobile internet services as protesting students have been carrying out their demonstrations using social media network, especially Facebook.

The BTRC step came after a group of youths had swooped on the demonstrating students in Zigatola area of the city on Saturday afternoon, witnesses said.

Some 25-30 men wearing helmets allegedly launched the attack on the students who were regulating traffic, as they were doing in the past few days, at Zigatola intersection around 2:00pm.

They also fired gunshots. Dozens of students were injured.