The Facebook debate

Access to Facebook was "temporarily" blocked on May 29. We received overwhelming comments on the issue in our online edition. In today's IT & Telecom issue we print some of them. 

The dream of 'Digital Bangladesh' has just received a serious blow!
The government has taken an unsound decision by blocking the most popular social networking site Facebook.
I just heard the CNN talking about the negative aspects of the Facebook including identity theft etc, and what remedies are available to stop the evil doers.
I guess our experts need guidance to face the challenge of ever changing world of internet.
The soon the Facebook is opened, the better. Invite technical assistance from others who know how to handle the situation rather than closing the entire system.
Faqrul, USA

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Congratulations! Bangladesh is moving towards digital revolution! Next time government have a headache, they better chop the head off!!Zakir Kibria

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This is a complete mockery of the people, who voted the ruling Awami League to power in the 2008 election.Eddy

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Are we not a democracy? Aren't we meant to exercise our civil rights? The government serves the people not the other way around, or have they forgotten that?Fahim Razzaq

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Anti-Islam and anti-Bangladesh groups have been there on Facebook for a very long time. Similarly, there are abundant pro-Islam and pro-Bangladesh groups. It's not Facebook that is responsible for that but the Individual users. So, take action against them without harassing common users like us.Jamal Ahmed

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Alas! This is Digital Bangladesh!Mahin

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I wonder how much digitised we will be in future when our leaders don't even know the basics meaning of the word 'digital'.Faisal

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If the government truly believes in the freedom of speech, there would not be any ban at all. Let everything be decided by the users. Many global leaders are satirised and Facebook is not banned in those countries.Syed Jashim Uddin

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Well, Bangladesh does not rate very high in international news media, but this one got a lot of attention. A third world nation made a third class decision. May be too many Bangladeshis are not using Facebook, but this decision made Bangladesh a laughing stock. How thin is the veneer of democracy here?Nirmal, London

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As I came to know Facebook is not taking care of the privacy matter seriously, I am getting worried. Recently Facebook allowed insulting image of our prophet (Pbuh) as they take it as freedom of expression. My immediate action was to deactivate my Facebook account.Facebook is a huge business worth $20 billion with access to 500 million users. Freedom is good, but if that freedom is used against us, what would be our reaction?