Govt to block websites hosting gambling or porn promotions

Any newspaper (including online editions), news portal, electronic broadcaster, or website that carries gambling, betting, or pornography-related content will be blocked without prior notice, according to a government notice issued on Saturday (October 18).

Bangladesh’s Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology, in its circular, says recent advertisements and promotional content on online platforms violate the Cyber Security Ordinance 2025 and the Pornography Control Act 2012—offences that are punishable under Bangladeshi law.

It adds that, despite earlier government cautions through multiple circulars and press releases, the authorities will move to block offending sites from Sunday (October 19) if such content appears.

The ministry also noted that, following its warnings, several outlets—including ESPNcricinfo, Janakantha and Dhaka Post—had already adjusted their AdSense settings.

To keep the country’s cyberspace “safe, ethical and youth-friendly,” the government said enforcement will continue in coordination with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Bangladesh Police, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), the National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA), the National Telecommunication Monitoring Center (NTMC), the National Security Intelligence (NSI) and the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU).