The government has assured citizens that it has not requested the removal of any news articles, social media posts, videos, reels, online articles, or political criticism—except for content involving misinformation, propaganda, and malicious character assassination.

According to the government, any request to remove such harmful or illegal misinformation is routed to the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) through law-enforcement agencies and the National Cyber Security Agency.

The statement emphasised that the current government does not operate or support any coordinated online “bot force,” nor does any Bangladeshi agency—including BTRC or NTMC—have the technical authority to unilaterally take down content from social media platforms.

All such requests must be submitted directly to the platforms themselves, according to a statement by CA Press Wing.

Google Transparency Report: Requests Significantly Lower Than Previous Government

An analysis of Google’s Transparency Report for January–June 2025 shows that Bangladesh submitted 279 removal requests, which is less than one-third of the 867 requests submitted during the last six months of the previous Awami League government (June–December 2022).

In the prior six-month period (July–December 2024), Bangladesh made only 153 requests, which the government says is “one-fifth of the highest number recorded under the previous administration” and less than half of the Awami League government’s lowest six-month total (591 requests in June–December 2023).

The government also noted that, according to Google’s data, 65% of all requests fall under the “Not enough information” category, indicating no special intent or political motivation.

Rationale Behind Recent Requests

Officials said the January–June 2025 period saw a surge in misinformation campaigns, including from foreign media in neighboring countries.

The government reported several cases to Google as part of efforts to counter propaganda.

They added that after the Awami League was banned under anti-terrorism laws and proceedings began at the International Criminal Tribunal (ICT) over killings during the July uprising, the party allegedly initiated a series of misinformation and incitement campaigns online.

The government said that online safety, political stability, communal harmony, and the protection of religious and ethnic minorities—both online and offline—are part of its daily responsibilities.

Some takedown requests also targeted illegal online gambling and betting operations.

Because Google’s Transparency Report does not have separate categories for misinformation, propaganda, or character assassination, many such reports appear under categories labeled as “government criticism.”

Even so, the government noted that current request numbers are “one-fifth” of those during the Awami League period.

Govt Criticises Media for Publishing Reports Without Seeking Clarification

The statement expressed disappointment that certain media outlets published reports on this issue without requesting clarification from the government beforehand.

It said such incomplete reporting on sensitive matters can disrupt social stability and does not align with responsible journalism.

Context: Political Unrest and Social Instability

The government pointed out that January–June 2025 saw significant internal challenges, including: over 100 major protests, several mob incidents and communal tensions, attacks such as shrine vandalism, cases of mob lynching, and large-scale student movements, including those linked to inequality issues and health card distribution.

In this context, officials said regular reporting to online platforms was necessary to preserve social harmony.

Bangladesh Sees Major Improvement in Global Internet Freedom Rankings

The government highlighted recent international recognition for improvements in freedom of expression and internet rights.

According to Freedom House’s Freedom on the Net 2025 report, Bangladesh achieved the highest improvement worldwide in internet freedom.

The country’s score rose from 40 to 45, the highest in seven years. The report credited the progress to reforms undertaken by the interim government after the removal of the previous administration in August 2024.

The government also cited positive assessments from the World Bank and the International Telecommunication Union on freedom of expression and internet development.