Bangladesh blocks 12 blogs over ‘malicious’ publicity against society

Bangladesh on Wednesday shut down 12 blogs and Facebook pages alleging "malicious publicity" by suspected Islamists amid an intensified nationwide campaign against their leaders accused of crimes during the 1971 war.

"Our Computer Security Incident Response Team has closed 12 blogs and Facebook pages which are being used to carry out malicious publicity against society, politics, state and religions and abuse the people's religious sentiment," a spokesman of Bangladesh Telecom Regulatory Authority told PTI.

Earlier, Bangladesh had shut down a blog site after it was linked to the murder of anti-Islamist blogger Rajib Haider who was hacked to death in the capital, last week.

The official said the move was taken in line with the country's telecom laws while "it was not led by any political consideration and identical actions will be taken if more such sites are found to be involved in spreading malice or abuse religion".

The development came hours after Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu said some elements had tried to portray as "anti-Islamic rally" the ongoing youngsters' campaign based in the capital's Shahbagh Square.

"The war crimes trial in no way is an anti-Islamic activity, rather a bold step to establish justice. Crimes against humanity like mass-killings, rapes, arson and torture do not deserve mercy in the eyes of Islam either," Inu told a press conference.

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