Broadband net revived selectively after blackout

Businesses and emergency services come first as the government revived broadband internet operations selectively after a nagging blackout on the information superhighway that cut off Bangladesh from the globe.
Social-media enthusiasts, however, have yet to have a sigh of relief as the Facebook and Youtube remain closed.
Website is said to be operative now with the salvage of the internet, shut down following an arson attack on the data centre amid flare-ups of violence amid students' massive job-quota protests.
Meanwhile, the Editors' Council and Newspaper Owners' Association of Bangladesh (NOAB) in a meeting Tuesday expressed their profound shock and sympathy over the casualties in the ongoing violence.
The apex platforms of editors of the national dailies and owners of the print media have said several journalists have been killed in the violence while over 100 reporters and photojournalists injured.
"These indicate that the media personnel have been facing insecurity in discharging their duties until now." Under such circumstances," they think, "all the stakeholders concerned need to act promptly for ensuring security of the journalists."
They have also demanded punishment of those responsible for the casualties, vandalism, arson attacks and destructive activities - through fair investigation.
Simultaneously, they think all the stakeholders, including the state, have a responsible role to play to prevent recurrence of such untoward events.
They have said internet services have completely been shut across the country since Thursday night, hampering quick exchange of news and cross-checking of information.
As a result, the situation has been deteriorating for the last few days following fast spreading of rumours along with false and baseless information, creating the fear of information blackout. Besides, economic activities are also being severely affected for internet outage.
The Editors' Council and NOAB, however, have welcomed the government's decision to resume internet services on a trial basis from 10:00 pm on Tuesday. They have also urged the government to keep internet services uninterrupted in the media outlets in future under any circumstances.
Editors' Council President Mahfuz Anam (The Daily Star) presided over the meeting, where A K Azad (NOAB President), Matiur Rahman (Prothom Alo), Shamsul Huq Zahid (The Financial Express), Matiur Rahman Chowdhury (Manabjamin), A M M Bahauddin (Inquilab), Naem Nizam (Bangladesh Protidin), Alamgir Hossain (Samakal), Zafar Sobhan (Dhaka Tribune), Nurul Kabir (New Age), A S M Shahidullah Khan (New Age), Mostafa Mamun (Desh Rupantor), Md. Golam Rahman (Ajker Patrika), Shahriar Karim (Sangbad), Shyamol Dutt (Bhorer Kagoj), Dewan Hanif Mahmud (Bonik Barta), Altamash Kabir (Sangbad) and Saiful Alam (Jugantor) were also present.

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