July 16, 2008

Bangla blogging platform banned in Bangladesh?


Since 15th of July many readers/bloggers of the Bangla blogging platform Sachalayatan (around 300 bloggers and 500 readers per day) are complaining that they cannot access it from Bangladesh. However they could access it via proxy.

BDNews24.com reported it today (translated summary):
There was a complaint that a Bangla Blog named Sachalayatan has been blocked in Bangladesh. Arup Kamal, One of the founders of the blog told BDNews24.com from Malaysia over phone that "after posting an article on war-criminals recently the site has been banned."

He confirmed that it can be accessed everywhere in the world except Bangladesh. Sachalayatan is an online writers forum which focuses on literature and contemporary issues.
Another Bangla Daily Prothom Alo reported the news with a question mark "Is Sachalayatan banned?" (translated excerpts):
We have asked Mr. ABM Habibur Rahman, head of the internet division of BTCAL whether this is true or not. He refused to comment. The blog authority have said that there is no technical error as it can be accessed elsewhere in the world.
A blogger of Sachalayatan talked with the head of BTCAL internet division and comments that it has been censored in Bangladesh.

I condemn this heinous act if its true. Please spread the news.

For the readers in Bangladesh, you can use any of these proxies to enter the site.

Update: Sources reported that it was a ban on a illegal VOIP soft-switch bearing the same IP. So Sachalayatan was the collateral damage of the ban. But the authority never confirmed or commented on this. Sachalayatan can now be seen from Bangladesh as it has recently changed its IP.

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