State minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak says mobile internet services have been restricted to limit the spread of rumours and calm the tumultuous situation amid the ongoing quota reform movement.

Blaming ‘provocations’ on social media for deaths during the protests, he said the government would not be lenient to any multinational companies such as Facebook, YouTube, Google and TikTok that stir up misinformation that can cause further deaths in the future.

On Wednesday, the mobile internet speed across the country slowed down after fierce clashes between the anti-quota protesters, Chhatra League activists and police. Mobile internet customers were unable to get data services on Thursday too.