Bangladesh Experiences 5016% Spike in VPN Usage

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by Deyan Georgiev 

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VPN usage in Bangladesh saw a dramatic surge of 5016% last week as the country’s government imposed a five-day internet shutdown in response to violent anti-government protests.

The new figures from VPNMentor reveal a 2500% increase in demand for VPN services even after the internet was restored on July 25.

vpn search trends in Bangladesh

Widespread frustration, and anger are evident among people in Bangladesh, says a civil society member.

ProtonVPN saw a massive sign-up surge during that period, with signups increasing by 3500%.

Image credit: ProtonVPN Observatory

VPNs help people bypass firewalls by masking their IP addresses and routing the internet connection through servers in other countries to access websites that would have been restricted during the ban.

The research team has found similar spikes in VPN usage in the past during internet suspensions or restrictions on certain apps and websites. Earlier in March this year, VPN demand rose in Spain by 330% a day ahead of an opposition protest in Madrid. Two weeks later, VPN demand grew by 150% again in the country after Telegram was banned temporarily.

Deyan Georgiev

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Managing Editor

Deyan Georgiev is the managing editor at VPNCentral. He is a software and technology expert, focused on online privacy and data protection. He's a certified cybersecurity and IoT expert both by the University of London and the University System of Georgia. Furthermore, Deyan is an avid advocate of personal data protection. He also holds a privacy specialization from Infosec.

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