Bangladesh shuts mobile network on border

The Bangladesh government has shut down telecom services along its border with India. As per reports, Bangladesh has done this citing security reasons.

Telecom operators of the country have been ordered to shut down Mobile network coverage along one kilometre of the border with India. A statement from Bangladesh officials says, “for the sake of the country’s security in the current circumstances”.

Reports claim that the decision was taken by the Bangladesh government due to concerns that Indian Muslims might seek to enter Bangladesh as a result of the Citizenship Amendment Act – CAA law passage in India.

The shutdown is expected to affect thousands of mobile phone users in the region and will remain in effect till further notice.

The CAA law allows for Indian citizenship rights to Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Jains, Buddhists and Parsis from Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan who settled in India before 2015 and excludes Muslims.

Bhavik Agrawal tweeted, “The CAA 2019 has nothing to do with India’s minorities. This act specifically addresses concerns of minorities of Pakistan, Afghanistan & Bangladesh. Others who want to apply for Indian Citizenship will still be able to as per the existing provisions. #IndiaSupportsCAA”

A few days ago Gauhar Rizvi, advisor to Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had said “We will take back any Bangladeshi citizen staying in India illegally. But India has to prove that.”