The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has written to Meta, urging the company to take immediate action against social media content that incites terrorism, violence, and public disorder amid ongoing political unrest in Bangladesh. The letter was sent by email on Friday, December 19, to senior Meta officials and Facebook representatives.
In the letter, the BTRC said Bangladesh is passing through a sensitive political transition following a mass uprising in which more than 1,400 students were killed and thousands injured, and that the interim government is preparing to restore order and hold an acceptable national election. It warned that calls for violence, intimidation, and sabotage of the upcoming elections are being spread online, particularly on Facebook, contributing to instability in public life.
Referring to developments following the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, the regulator said some individuals have openly supported his death under the guise of freedom of expression, while others have incited violence against media institutions and journalists. The letter noted that after such online campaigns, major media outlets including The Daily Star and Prothom Alo were attacked, vandalised, and set on fire, posing a serious threat to press freedom and public safety.
The BTRC alleged that Meta has been slow in removing or blocking provocative content despite repeated complaints, allowing further violence to spread. Expressing dissatisfaction with Meta’s response, the regulator called for stricter and faster enforcement of community guidelines for Bangladesh-related content, improved monitoring of Bengali-language posts, and immediate action on content already reported to the platform.
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