Curfew and internet outage hits Myanmar businesses

Online shop owners said that the sales have declined by half in recent days following disruptions in connectivity and slow internet speed. The recent political events have turned businesses away from the digital platform.

Naypyitaw:Myanmar's online businesses are struggling due to the military government's night-time curfew and internet outage from 1 am to 9 am, reported Myanmar Times.

"Online shops function by selling and buying on the internet. If the connection between sellers and buyers is lost then we cannot sell anything," said Ma Thiri, an online entrepreneur.

"Companies had prioritised the digitalisation of their businesses because of the COVID-19 pandemic but they have stopped doing so because of the current political situation. The internet gets cut (without warning) so there is nothing we can do about it," said a digital service provider.

Read:|UN expert fears violence in Yangon amid protests

Online food delivery service Food Panda said the unstable internet connection has resulted in a drop in sales, reported Myanmar Times.

Most of the online food businesses and online shops are losing business because of the disruption in connectivity.

Meanwhile, Myanmar Junta has filed additional charges against National League for Democracy (NLD) leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Thursday.

On February 1, Myanmar's military staged a coup and overthrew the democratically elected government of the NLD, alleging voter fraud in November 2020 elections that saw the NLD securing a resounding victory.

The military detained several political officials and activists including State Counsellor Suu Kyi and President Win Myint and declared a one-year emergency.

Despite military repression, widespread protests continue across Myanmar, including Yangon and other key cities.

ANI

Read:|Myanmar police file new charge against Aung San Suu Kyi