FREEDOM ON THE NET 2026 Seismic Shifts on the Global Internet Government transitions drive improvements I mprovements in Bangladesh and the Gambia showcased how mass movements that overthrow repressive leaders can drive short- and long-term gains in internet freedom. Bangladesh marked the strongest improvement in Freedom on the Net 2026, as the country’s interim government continued to implement an agenda of reforms since a mass uprising ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024. The country saw its first year with no internet shutdown since 2016, marking a stark contrast to Hasina’s Awami League (AL) government, which routinely cut off internet connectivity during opposition rallies and protests including during the 2024 uprising. The new interim government reportedly established a prohibition on the shutdown of telecommunications networks in the Bangladesh Telecommunication (Amendment) Ordinance 2025, passed that December, though the final text of the law has not been published and the legislative process was rushed and nontransparent. However, the interim authorities also sought to suppress real or perceived support for the AL, sometimes deploying the former government’s same repressive tactics. The interim government banned the AL from participating Demonstrators affiliated with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party attend a rally during the February 2026 general election. The party won the vote and faces significant challenges in building a sustainable democratic transition. (Photo: Syed Mahamudur Rahman/NurPhoto via Reuters) 14 @freedomhouse #FreedomOnTheNet