Bangladesh’s internet freedom showed modest improvement for the second consecutive year, driven primarily by the absence of internet shutdowns, according to a report released Thursday by a U.S.-based watchdog organization. The country’s score rose to 50 out of 100 in the Freedom on the Net 2026 report, up from 45 in 2025 and 40 in 2024. Despite this progress, Bangladesh continues to be classified as “Partly Free” due to ongoing challenges related to user rights and online expression.
The assessment evaluated 38 countries based on three main criteria: obstacles to internet access, restrictions on content, and violations of user rights. Bangladesh’s improved score was largely attributed to the period from June 2025 to May 2026, which saw no internet shutdowns for the first time since 2016. Additionally, there was a slight decline in websites being blocked for political or religious reasons. Four of the five-point increase in the country’s score came from enhanced access, with one point added for a reduction in content restrictions.
However, significant concerns remain in the area of user rights, the most heavily weighted category, where Bangladesh scored just 13 out of 40—unchanged from the previous year. The report highlighted ongoing state surveillance, laws that criminalize online speech, and instances of violence and intimidation targeting individuals for their posts. Covering both the end of the interim government and the beginning of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s (BNP) administration, the review noted prosecutions of Awami League supporters and critics of the new government over online remarks.
Between March 31 and April 17, four arrests were recorded in connection with online posts, according to Human Rights Watch. More broadly, over 280 journalists faced politically motivated legal cases as of May, many related to alleged Awami League-affiliated coverage of the 2024 uprising. The report also referenced attacks on the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star in December 2025, incidents partially incited by online rumors accusing the outlets of pro-India bias—a term frequently used locally as a proxy for support of Sheikh Hasina, the Awami League leader. These attacks involved mobs burning the buildings and threatening the safety of journalists.
In May 2026, the BNP government approved a budget of approximately Tk 95 crore to expand the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre’s capability to block online content, raising concerns over increased censorship potential. The report suggested that the government has been exploring ways to strengthen its online content filtering mechanisms.
Among South Asian nations assessed in this year’s report, Bangladesh now shares a score of 50 points with India, which dropped one point from last year. Pakistan remains in the “Not Free” category with a score of 27. Globally, internet freedom continues to decline, marking the sixteenth consecutive year of deterioration.