THE ban on social media is temporary as the government claims; but its loss is already massive said a national daily on Tuesday highlighting the impact of ban on Facebook, viber and such other internet communication network. Quoting mobile operator sources the report said anymore disruption in internet-based services would hinder telecom operators’ efforts to achieve 3G market growth and discourage them to participate in 4G auction scheduled for 2016. It means investment in the country’s information technology sector will drastically go down. But it appears that the government is not paying heed to the growing crisis paralyzing business; which is noticeable from the mindless response of State Minister for Tele-communication in the sideline of the Cabinet meeting on Monday. Asked by a colleague as reported in the media as to why cyber network remained banned, she shot back to know from him whether it is creating any problem.
Many believe that an over-enthusiastic section of policy makers with bureaucratic mindset are rather misleading the government by pushing to highly disproportionate action to face crisis. There is no denying of the fact that the shutdown was prompted in the background of the Supreme Court verdict; which upheld the death sentence of two war crime convicts. They were already executed but there was no break-down of law and order putting threat to public life. But it appears that the government would like to continue the ban on plea that terrorists may use social media to hit targets.
But such fear alone can’t justify ban on cyber network. What is wrong in the government decision is that it should deal cyber threats by using cyber response, closing the social media is not the solution disrupting business for its errant politics. Meanwhile, common men are facing the ban to share their views on social media and mobile phone operators are losing business everyday.
Internet based e-remittance has already become stalled. The digitalization programme of the government; which aims at upgrading the country’s access to information technology is poised to face uncertain way ahead. Some estimates suggest that online sales have dropped by upto 90 percent and local business were unable to fulfil orders since the ban. Many small and large business farms use social media for advertising and taking order — e-commerce now accounts for 4 percent businesses operation. It is a serious setback to internet based businesses. Many also don’t rule out the possibility that mobile operators may impose additional charge on their services if they continue to incur losses.
In our view the government must remove the ban immediately; cyber threats can’t be a reason to shut down the cyber services to people.
