Broadband Internet services have been partially restored in Bangladesh after a nationwide communications shutdown five days ago.

On July 18, the government announced it was blocking mobile Internet access, shutting down news broadcasts, and access to social media in light of recent protests.

Broadband has now been restored to selected areas and business sectors. Mobile Internet access remains down.

In a report from Developing Telecoms, the the telecommunications minister, Zuniad Ahmed Palak, said the restoration is on a trial basis with priority being given to the banking, commercial, technology, and media sectors.

At the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission on Tuesday, Palak said restoration to the rest of the country will soon follow but did not specify if users will have access to social media.

Palak is expected to comment on the restoration of mobile Internet in due course.

During the shutdown, the Bangladesh government also declared a nationwide curfew and deployed an army to assist with the conflict.

Protestors had been demanding an end to the quota system that reserves 30 percent of government jobs for relatives of veterans in Bangladesh’s war of independence in 1971.

On July 23, the Bangladesh Supreme Court ordered a major reform of the quota system. The curfew has also since been relaxed.

At least 160 people have lost their lives during the course of this conflict.

We will update this story as we learn more