A group of Dhaka
University (DU) students formed a human chain on the campus yesterday to
protest the government decision to block the Facebook, a popular social
networking website.With a banner reading 'Stop interference with
the freedom of expression', around 25 students staged the protest near
the Aparajeyo Bangla at about 12:00 noon.Speaking at the
programme, students came down heavily on the government for banning the
Facebook, saying that the government had violated its electoral pledges
by banning the network in Bangladesh."I voted the present
government as it pledged to present us with a digital Bangladesh, but by
banning the Facebook, the government has done the opposite," said
Satila Sharmeen, a fourth year student of mass communication and
journalism department.The agitating students called on the
government to withdraw the ban immediately. Most of the Facebook users
are young people who voted in the government in the last parliamentary
elections, they said.They students also vowed to hold
demonstration programmes on the campus today.In the early hours
of yesterday, a group of students also held a protest procession at the
TSC intersection demanding withdrawal of the ban.
Meanwhile, the
Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) expressed resentment and
concern over the blocking of the popular social networking website.In
a written statement, it said the move violates the constitution of
Bangladesh, United Nations charter and the rights to express opinion."While
the government wants to build a digital Bangladesh, blocking access to a
popular social networking site like Facebook for insignificant reasons
clearly violates the rights to freedom of expression," read the
statement, signed by BIHR Secretary General Advocate Shahanur Islam.
In
a separate press release, Bangladesh Chhatra Moitree also expressed
grave concern and demanded immediate withdrawal of the ban.
http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=140815
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