Dhaka suspends visa service in India, seeks US visa bond exemption
Dhaka (PTI): Bangladesh’s interim government on Thursday said it has asked its key missions in India, including at New Delhi, to suspend visa services over security concerns.
Foreign Affairs Adviser M Touhid Hossain told a media briefing at his office that Bangladesh has also sought reversal of a recently imposed visa bond requirement by the United States.
“What I have done is that I have asked our three missions (in India) to keep their visa sections closed for the time being. It’s a security issue,” Hossain said.
The adviser’s comments came after Bangladesh’s Deputy High Commission in Kolkata overnight restricted visa services after identical moves in New Delhi and Agartala keeping business and work visas beyond the purview of the restriction.
Bangladesh has diplomatic missions in Mumbai and Chennai as well, where the visa services remained operative.
India had earlier imposed restrictions on visas for Bangladeshi nationals after August 5, 2024, citing security concerns.
Bangladesh ties with New Delhi have remained strained since prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League regime was ousted following a violent student-led street protest in July-August 2024.
Hossain also told reporters that Bangladesh will pursue diplomatic efforts to seek exemption from the United States' newly imposed visa bond requirement calling the decision “certainly unfortunate and painful for us.”
He, however, said the US decision was “not abnormal” as it was not applied for Bangladesh alone and a number of countries were faced with immigration-related challenges in view of the US administration's measure.
Meanwhile, when asked about Bangladesh’s “potential interest” in procuring the JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft from Pakistan, the Foreign Adviser said, “I can’t tell about this today. (But) Talks are underway. You will know once things are finalised.”
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Bengaluru: Karnataka mulls ban social media for children below 16, says Priyank Kharge
Bengaluru: The Karnataka government is considering a ban on the use of social media for children below the age of 16, taking inspiration from steps taken by countries such as Australia and Finland, The New Indian Express reported.
Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj and IT-BT, Priyank Kharge, informed the Assembly on Friday that the issue is under discussion. Responding to senior BJP leader and MLA S Suresh Kumar, who expressed concern over the abuse of social media, Kharge admitted that it is a serious issue.
Finland has taken action, the UK is considering similar steps, and Australia imposed a ban two months ago. “We too in the state have launched a digital detoxification programme for responsible use of AI and social media. The IT-BT department, in collaboration with Meta, has been running it by involving over three lakh children and one lakh teachers,” TNIE quoted him as saying.
Kharge said that in March 2025, the government launched the ‘Beyond Screens’ programme to help people dealing with digital addiction. The initiative was announced during the GAFX 2025 summit, along with the opening of a ‘Beyond Screens’ digital detox centre and the launch of an official website.
The detox centre serves as a dedicated hub for resources, counselling and intervention programmes for healthier digital habits.
During the Assembly session, Suresh Kumar also referred to the Economic Survey 2025-26, which was presented in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. The survey recommended that governments consider age-based restrictions on social media use for children.
