Tor Bridge for Bangladesh - Bypassing BTRC Censorship

Bangladesh has implemented internet censorship through several mechanisms. The BTRC issues blocking orders to ISPs, targeting websites ranging from news outlets to social media platforms. During political events (especially around elections), Bangladesh has implemented temporary complete internet shutdowns or throttled connections to prevent coordination. Facebook, YouTube, and messaging applications have been restricted during crises. Tor itself has been blocked during shutdown periods by blocking Tor relay IP addresses at the network level. For Bangladeshi users who need consistent access to uncensored internet: bridges with obfuscated transport are the primary technical countermeasure, as obfuscation protocols disguise Tor traffic as ordinary HTTPS or other common traffic types that cannot be blocked without disrupting regular internet service.

Based on the characteristics of BTRC-enforced blocking: obfs4 bridges are the most reliable first option. obfs4 disguises Tor traffic as random data that does not match Tor's traffic signature. Most ISPs in Bangladesh implement IP-based blocking of known Tor relays, and obfs4 circumvents this. Snowflake is recommended as a secondary option: it routes traffic through WebRTC, which is indistinguishable from video calling traffic. WebRTC traffic is extremely difficult to block without disrupting legitimate applications (Google Meet, Zoom), making Snowflake resistant to blocking even during heightened censorship periods. WebTunnel is a newer option that disguises Tor as HTTPS traffic to a CDN. WebTunnel should work during most BTRC blocking scenarios because blocking it would require blocking HTTPS traffic to major CDN providers.

If bridges.torproject.org is blocked in Bangladesh: (1) Email bridges@torproject.org from a Gmail or Riseup email address with 'get transport obfs4' in the body - the Tor Project emails bridge addresses back, and email is harder to block than web access. (2) Telegram: the Tor Project operates @GetBridgesBot on Telegram. Send it a message to receive bridge addresses. (3) Request bridges from the Tor Browser startup screen: if you can launch Tor Browser (even without connecting), it has a built-in bridge request tool that may use alternative channels. (4) Pre-downloaded bridge lists: download obfs4 bridge lists before a shutdown period using clearnet access and store them for use when blocking begins.

Partial internet shutdowns in Bangladesh often affect mobile data differently from fixed-line connections. If mobile data has broader access than fixed-line: install Orbot (official Tor app for Android) before any shutdown period. Orbot supports Snowflake bridges natively - configure Snowflake as the bridge type in Orbot settings. Snowflake's WebRTC approach is particularly effective on mobile networks where blocking granularity may be less sophisticated than on fixed-line ISPs. If WhatsApp is available but Tor is blocked: use WhatsApp to receive obfs4 bridge addresses from contacts outside Bangladesh, then configure Tor Browser manually with those bridges. Have bridge addresses stored offline (in a text file on the device) before shutdown periods begin.

International operators who want to help users in Bangladesh can run Tor bridges that are not publicly listed (private bridges) and share their addresses with contacts in Bangladesh through secure channels. Private bridges are not in the Tor Project's public bridge database, making them harder for censors to identify and block systematically. To run a bridge: configure a VPS (Romania VPS Mini at $19.99/mo is cost-effective) with Tor's bridge configuration, enable obfs4 or WebTunnel transport, and share the bridge address privately. For wider impact: register as a public bridge (BridgeDB-listed) to help the broader community of users in censored countries, including Bangladesh. The more bridges that exist with varied IP addresses and bridge types, the harder it becomes for censors to block all Tor access comprehensively.