The then state minister for posts, telecommunications, and information technology, Zunaid Ahmed Palak, deceived the nation by fabricating claims surrounding the nationwide internet shutdown during the quota reform movement and the one-point demand for the resignation of the Awami League government.
A preliminary probe report, submitted on Tuesday to the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology, revealed this information.
The report stated that during the recent Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, multiple nationwide mobile and broadband internet shutdowns severely disrupted public life and damaged Bangladesh's international image.
A seven-member committee was formed under the directive of Md Nahid Islam, adviser to the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology, to investigate the reasons and involvement behind these shutdowns.
According to the report, the suspension and resumption of mobile internet services on July 15-16, and broadband internet from July 18 to 23 and on August 5, were carried out under verbal instructions from Zunaid Ahmed Palak.
The actions were executed by Engineer Md Mohiuddin Ahmed, chairman of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), without any formal administrative approval, the report said.
Additionally, the report reveals that the shutdown and subsequent restoration of mobile internet from July 17 to 28, and on August 5, were directed by the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre (NTMC), which operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The preliminary investigation also found no connection between the internet shutdown and the reported fire at a data centre during that period.
By linking the fire incident to the internet suspension, former state minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak has been accused of deceiving and misleading the nation, the probe report said.
Further investigations are ongoing, it added.
