"Saying no, the foreign minister explains restrictions are necessary for safety and security of Rohingyas and Bangladeshis Top members of the United States Senate and House of Representatives have urged the Bangladesh government to lift the restrictions on internet use in the Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar, underscoring the critical role of communications technology as a public health tool to combat the spread of Covid-19. In a recent letter to Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, the US lawmakers emphasized that technologies like mobile phones and internet are necessary for sharing life-saving medical information, conducting contact tracing, and facilitating health and humanitarian services. In reply, the foreign minister said the restrictions were in place for the safety and security of the Rohingyas as well as Bangladeshis. Following the large gathering of Rohingyas on August 17 to mark the second anniversary of the latest exodus, the government slapped a ban on 3G and 4G mobile internet in the Rohingya camps. The letter was signed by six senators and representatives: Representative Eliot L Engel, chairman of the House foreign affairs committee; Senator Bob Menendez, ranking member of the Senate foreign relations committee; Senator Ed Markey, ranking member of the Senate foreign relations subcommittee on East Asia; Senator Chris Murphy; Representative Andy Levin; and Representative Ami Bera, chairman of the House foreign affairs subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and Nonproliferation..."