An official of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has testified before the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1, revealing that the nationwide internet shutdown during the July Uprising was executed following direct orders from former ICT state minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak.
The official, whose identity was withheld for security reasons, provided a detailed account of how a WhatsApp group was used to bypass formal protocols and silence the country’s digital connectivity.
The testimony was recorded as part of a crimes against humanity case filed against Palak and Sajeeb Wazed Joy, the son and ICT affairs advisor to ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
The witness told the tribunal, chaired by Judge Md Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury, that the process began on the evening of Jul 18, 2024.
“At 7pm, the then director general of BTRC Kazi Mustafizur Rahman informed me that Palak had instructed BTRC chairman Md Mohiuddin Ahmed to shut down the upstreams of International Terrestrial Cable (ITC) operators,” the official said.
On the DG’s orders, the official created a WhatsApp group titled ‘18 July ICT Operations’ using his official mobile number. The group included representatives from major infrastructure providers such as Summit Communications, Fibre@Home, Novocom, BD Link, Mango, BTCL, and BSPLC.
“The DG then made a group call and conveyed the government’s directive to the operators. By approximately 9pm that night, the internet was completely shut down,” the witness added.
The official also disclosed the exact text message sent to International Internet Gateway (IIG) operators: “As per the instruction I am directed to inform you to shutdown the internet from your IIG and send done after completion.”
The internet remained entirely inaccessible from the night of Jul 18 until the afternoon of Jul 23.
The witness further noted that when connectivity was partially restored on Jul 23, it was done under Palak’s instructions to keep social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok blocked while providing limited access to “important locations” such as banks, parliament, and the Cantonment.
The BTRC officer confirmed that all these activities were documented and approved by higher authorities.
The mobile phone used to coordinate the shutdown has already been seized by investigators.
The prosecution, led by Chief Prosecutor Md Aminul Islam, has submitted a list of 32 witnesses, including forensic experts and victims’ relatives.
The formal charges against Joy and Palak include incitement, specifically the allegation that they provoked attacks on protesters via social media on Jul 14.
They are also accused of assisting mass murder, with claims that they used an internet blackout as a tool to facilitate the use of lethal force, which allegedly resulted in at least 28 deaths in specific incidents.
In addition, they are charged with culpability in deaths, including alleged assistance in the killing of 34 people in Uttara.
While Palak is currently in custody, Joy remains a fugitive.
On Dec 10, the court ordered Joy to surrender via public notices in national newspapers. State-appointed lawyer Manjur Alam represented Joy during Thursday’s proceedings.
The tribunal has adjourned the hearing until Sunday for the remainder of the BTRC officer’s testimony.
