BANGLADESH : *SHUTS 20,000 WEBSITES*

DHAKA : Bangladesh authorities have blocked almost 20,000 websites as part of an anti pornography ''war'' a minister said Tuesday.

Internet providers in the Muslim-majority nation took down pornography and gambling websites in the past week under orders from the telecommunication regulator.

''I want to create a safe and secure Internet for all Bangladeshis, including children. And this sis my  war against pornography. And this will be continuous war,'' Mustafa Jabbar, the posts and telecommunication minister, told AFP.

Popular social media apps such as  TikTok and Bigo, which authorities believe are misused, have also been blocked in the South Asian nation, Jabbar said.

Most of the  blocked sites  are foreign, but a few local websites and social media platforms have also faced action under the crackdown, he added. [AFP]