India bans four Bangladeshi TV channels — Jamuna TV, Ekattor TV, BanglaVision, and Mohona TV — from YouTube, citing national security and public order concerns. Learn more about this move and its legal grounds
According to a report by Dismislab, a fact-checking organization users in India now see a message when attempting to access these channels, stating that the content is restricted due to a government order citing security issues.
Jamuna TV confirmed that they received an official notification from YouTube, explaining that all of their videos both past and future are now unavailable to viewers in India, as per the Indian government’s request.
The legal basis for this action is Section 69A of India’s Information Technology Act, which grants the government the authority to block content it believes threatens the country’s sovereignty, security, or public peace.
Dismislab verified the block by using an Indian proxy connection and checking 38 Bangladeshi news channels. Out of these, only Jamuna TV, Ekattor TV, BanglaVision, and Mohona TV were found to be blocked in India. Journalists from Delhi and Kolkata also confirmed the restriction.
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This decision comes at a time of heightened digital censorship in India. The country is currently engaged in a military operation, “Operation Sindoor,” in Pakistan, which has sparked nationalist media coverage.
Simultaneously, several independent Indian news outlets including The Wire, Maktub Media, The Kashmiriat, and Free Press Kashmir have faced similar restrictions. Additionally, reports suggest that India has blocked thousands of digital accounts, many belonging to independent media organizations.
Bangladeshi writer Asad Noor, currently in exile, also claimed that his YouTube channel was briefly blocked in India. While it was later restored, this incident adds to concerns about increasing government control over digital platforms and free access to information.
At the time of writing, neither the Indian nor the Bangladeshi government has made a public statement regarding the blocking of these TV channels.
