Bangladesh recorded the biggest improvement in internet freedom among 38 countries assessed in Freedom House's Freedom on the Net 2026 report released today (22 October).
However, Bangladesh remains "Partly Free", a category it has held since 2013, as the interim government also sought to suppress support for the Awami League, at times using the same repressive tactics as the former government, said the report.
According to the report, Bangladesh's internet freedom score rose by five points to 50 out of 100 in the 15th edition of the US-based democracy watchdog's annual study, covering 1 June 2025 to 31 May 2026.
"Bangladesh notched the largest improvement for the second year in a row as the country carried out reforms in the aftermath of the removal of Sheikh Hasina, whose decade-long rule was marked by expansive censorship and surveillance," Freedom House said.
The report said Bangladesh saw its first year with no internet shutdown since 2016, marking a stark contrast to Hasina's Awami League government.
"Improvements in Bangladesh showcase the gains brought by a mass mobilisation reversing long-standing practices of digital repression, though significant challenges to a sustainable democratic transition remain for the country's new government," it said.
The report mentioned that the interim government established a prohibition on the shutdown of telecommunications networks in the Bangladesh Telecommunication (Amendment) Ordinance 2025, though the final text of the law has not been published and the legislative process was rushed and nontransparent.
However, the report said, "The interim government banned the AL from participating in the February 2026 general election. More than 280 journalists, some of whom work for online outlets, faced politicized charges as of May 2026, with most cases linked to coverage of the 2024 uprising perceived to be too favourable toward the AL."
The report also mentioned how online incitement contributed to real-world violence against leading media outlets, citing the December 2025 attacks on the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star after online rumours accused the newspapers of pro-India sentiment.
Bangladesh's performance in categories
Freedom House assesses internet freedom through 21 indicators across three categories: obstacles to access, limits on content and violations of user rights.
Bangladesh's score rose by five points, largely as the absence of internet shutdowns lifted its Obstacles to Access score to 16 out of 25 from 12 a year earlier.
Limits on Content edged up to 21 out of 35 from 20, while Violations of User Rights remained unchanged at 13 out of 40, the country's weakest category.
Freedom House classifies scores of 70-100 as "Free", 40-69 as "Partly Free" and 0–39 as "Not Free". Bangladesh therefore remains "Partly Free".
The country also received a "Partly Free" rating in Freedom House's Freedom in the World index released earlier this year. Over the past 50 years, Bangladesh has been rated "Free" in only two years and "Not Free" in one, remaining "Partly Free" in all others.
Global internet freedom declines for 16th consecutive year
Globally, internet freedom declined for the 16th consecutive year, with conditions worsening in 16 of the 38 countries assessed and improving in eight, according to Freedom House.
Iran recorded the sharpest decline, while China and Myanmar remained among the most repressive online environments. Estonia ranked as the freest.
Freedom House chief executive Jamie Fly said authoritarian actors were weaponising AI, urging activists to access advanced technologies to counter threats.
Kian Vesteinsson, the report's author and Freedom House's deputy director for research, said democracies must lead the fight for a free and open internet.
Freedom House paused coverage of 34 countries in this edition. The 38 countries assessed were selected to represent diverse regions, political systems and forms of internet control.