Bangladesh’s internet blackout immobilizes its booming tech industry

Bangladesh's technology industry has been brought to a near standstill by a nationwide internet blackout that entered its third day, causing financial and reputational losses for thousands of companies. Internet services were shut on July 18 after violent clashes between police and student groups protesting a policy that reserves a portion of government jobs for descendants of 1971 war veterans. Russell T. Ahmed, president of the Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services, called the blackout's reputational damage the most harmful part. Minister of state Mohammad A. Arafat blamed "arsonists" for the shutdown, while Robi, a mobile operator, said the government had suspended mobile internet services.