Free Fire and PUBG Mobile ban in Bangladesh: What does it mean for players?

Two of the most famous battle royale games on mobile space are Free Fire and PUBG Mobile. They have established a foothold on the platform and have amassed enormous numbers in terms of player base and downloads.

Both titles have significant user counts and are quite popular in Bangladesh. However, the players’ hearts were crushed when the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) recently ordered the ban of these “harmful games and other programs.”

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Free Fire and PUBG Mobile banned in Bangladesh?

The order was to ban Free Fire and PUBG Mobile for three months in Bangladesh (Image via Sportskeeda)

On 16 August, the High Court of Bangladesh ordered the relevant authorities to ban online games and mobile applications such as Free Fire and PUBG Mobile, which had a negative impact or were detrimental to players.

As mentioned above, the BTRC has passed an order for the removal of the same. As a result, Bangladeshi Free Fire and PUBG Mobile users have been rendered speechless.

With this news, both titles, as well as several other apps, have been suspended for three months in Bangladesh.

Here are the reactions of a few players on social media:

Subrata Roy Maitra, the vice-chairman of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission, was quoted as saying the following about the ban:

“We have shut down PUBG and Free Fire and are taking steps to remove other harmful apps.”

He also stated that the authorities would make efforts to ban other applications, such as TikTok, Bigo Live, and Likee.

The basis for these suspensions has been the harmful influence on individuals, especially children, teenagers, and the younger generation.

This isn’t the first time PUBG Mobile and Free Fire have been under scrutiny of government authorities. In July, a parliamentarian in Nepal also called for action on such online games as they “have a negative impact on the mental health of the players.”

Games across the country will be eagerly hoping that some resolution can be found. Until then, they will have to make do without these highly-popular games.