In Taosin Zafar’s film “The Black Kite,” Arif, a freelancer who relies on crutches, faces a devastating reality when a government-imposed internet shutdown cuts off his livelihood. The film captures a critical moment in Bangladesh’s history, as internet blackouts become an increasingly common tool of political control, exposing the precarious nature of digital labor in an increasingly authoritarian landscape.
Rise of the Student Movement
Since June 5, 2024, Bangladesh has witnessed a transformative student-led movement for quota reform that began with demands for fair competition in government jobs but evolved into a broader push for political change. The movement’s grassroots nature distinguished it from traditional protests, with leadership emerging organically through social media coordination.
Programs like “Bangla Blockade” and “March for Justice” reflected the movement’s distinctive character. Students used social media as their primary mobilization tool, reducing reliance on traditional news outlets and creating new forms of digital resistance.
Digital Labor Under Siege
The government’s response was swift and severe. Following violent crackdowns by police and government-backed groups in early July, authorities implemented a 15-day nationwide internet shutdown. This blackout revealed the vulnerability of Bangladesh’s growing digital workforce.
The shutdown’s impact on the freelance sector has been particularly devastating. Freelancers like Arif represent a significant portion of Bangladesh’s digital economy, with many choosing this path due to limited traditional employment opportunities or physical barriers to conventional work. Their reliance on stable internet connectivity makes them especially vulnerable to political disruptions.
The freelance sector operates in a perpetual state of uncertainty. Workers face constant challenges: no job security or benefits, fluctuating income based on global market demands, and a complete lack of collective bargaining power. Platform-based work often circumvents traditional labor protections, leaving workers exposed during service disruptions with no safety net.
Tools of Control
The KeepItOn Coalition defines internet shutdowns as deliberate government interference in communication freedoms through network blackouts, app bans, or internet throttling. While governments often attempt to justify these actions by citing security concerns, research shows little evidence that shutdowns achieve their stated goals.
Bangladesh’s history with internet shutdowns stretches back years. From communal unrest in Comilla 2021 to the 2018 student protests for road safety, the government’s response has consistently involved cutting off internet access. The Internews Optima documented 17 incidents between 2012 and mid-2022, with the frequency increasing rather than declining.The situation remains critical. In 2022, Bangladesh ranked among the top five nations with the most internet shutdowns globally, with six shutdowns coinciding with opposition rallies.
The True Cost
The economic impact extends far beyond statistics. The Global Cost of Internet Shutdowns report estimated global losses of $7.69 billion in 2024, with Bangladesh losing $74 million per day during outages, according to The NetBlocks Cost of Shutdown Tool. Recent shutdowns devastated the freelancing sector, with losses exceeding a million taka during the July-August 2024 blackout alone.
The human cost is equally severe. Missed deadlines and unreliable connectivity have severely damaged client relationships, creating long-term setbacks that persist even after services resume. Beyond freelancing, shutdowns have disrupted education, healthcare, and daily commerce, creating ripples of economic instability throughout communities.
Resistance and Reform
While international frameworks advocate for internet shutdowns to be used only in “extraordinary situations”, Bangladesh’s shutdowns occur arbitrarily, with little transparency or accountability. Mobile operators, complicit in these shutdowns, rarely notify users before or after shutdowns, leaving citizens in uncertainty.
Though Bangladesh has entered a new political phase, protecting digital rights requires more than passive hope. Digital workers must develop collective support networks and establish alternative communication systems. Communities need to create emergency response plans for future shutdowns. Most importantly, citizens must push for legislative protections for digital rights and demand accountability mechanisms for service disruptions.
The struggle portrayed in “The Black Kite” isn’t just about internet access—it’s about power, control, and the fundamental right to participate in modern society. As Bangladesh navigates this transition, the responsibility falls on citizens to remain vigilant and active in defending these essential freedoms. The future of digital rights will be determined not by political promises, but by the collective will of people to demand and defend their fundamental rights in the digital age.
