A spree of killings and sabotages are taking place in the country, but the criminals remain out of reach. It is being said that they are using Viber and Whatsapp as their main means of communication. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday told the parliament that if necessary, Viber and Whatsapp will be temporarily suspended and the criminals caught.

We support the government ‘zero tolerance’ policy towards militants and it is certainly important to take necessary measures against them. The question is, will blocking Viber or Whatsapp play any role in controlling them at all?

Terrorism and militancy is a global problem. Blocking their communication channels is a challenge in all countries. Bangladesh faces the same challenge, but what guarantee is there that blocking Viber or Whatsapp is an answer? There are so many other services and software which the terrorists or militants can use. Stopping Viber and Whatsapp will not create much of a problem for the terrorists. The problem will be faced by the innumerable common people of Bangladesh, who are dependent on these two popular means of communication to keep in touch with their near and dear ones at home and abroad. Banning Facebook in the past served no purpose at all.

In today’s world it is quite easy to track Internet communications. It is important to have effective technology and strong intelligence. The intelligence agencies must have technological innovation and skill to control hi-tech crime. We feel these matters ought to be taken into cognizance rather than blocking Viber and Whatssap.