DIGITAL REPRESSION AND ONLINE RESISTANCE: NEW MEDIA IN MOBILIZING THE JULY 2024 UPRISING IN BANGLADESH

The article aims to explore the impact of new media on the July uprising in Bangladesh in 2024. A large-scale social reform movement in Bangladesh resulted in a political uprising that led to the removal from power of the regime, on August 5, 2024. A significant part of the movement’s acceleration was using social media like Facebook, YouTube, and Telegram as a means of communication. It was mostly students and youth age groups who initiated and participated in the protests, and they utilized social media to communicate meaningfully. Digital repression like internet shutdowns, account suspension, blocking Facebook pages are imposed by the government to suppress facts and prevent protestors from organizing online and be mobilized. The paper surveyed 398 respondents (n=398) and conducted five in-depth interviews. The paper argues that the use of new media as catalyst in the July uprising, and mainstream media mostly served the purpose in favor of the government in Bangladesh.