New Delhi, Dec 20: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday voiced serious concern over what he described as targeted attacks on prominent media houses in violence-hit Bangladesh, while also condemning the forced suspension of visa services at Indian Assistant High Commissions in Khulna and Rajshahi amid worsening security conditions.

Bangladesh has witnessed a fresh wave of unrest following the death of radical Islamist leader Sharif Osman Hadi, who rose to prominence during the 2024 student movement that culminated in the ouster of the then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The killing has triggered widespread protests, with violence reported in Dhaka and several other parts of the country.

Protests over the death of Inqilab Moncho leader Hadi have continued to escalate, and the mobs targeted leading media organisations and locations associated with Bangladesh’s secular legacy. Reports of arson and vandalism at media establishments have sparked alarm both within the country and internationally.

Reacting to the developments, Tharoor said the attacks on the press strike at the core of democratic values.

In a post on X, he said: “Deeply concerned by the reports from Bangladesh. The targeted mob attacks and arson at the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star are more than just an assault on two media houses; they are an assault on the freedom of the press and the very foundation of a pluralistic society.”

The Congress MP also expressed concern about the safety of journalists, including senior editors. He said he was worried about the well-being of Editor Mahfuz Anam and other media professionals working under increasingly hostile conditions.

Amid the unrest, India was compelled to shut down two visa application centres in Bangladesh, citing security threats. In Rajshahi, a march was organised by a group called ‘July 36 Mancha’ towards the Indian Assistant High Commission. The procession advanced towards the diplomatic mission but was halted midway following police intervention.

Similar demonstrations were also reported in Khulna, prompting authorities to suspend visa-related operations at both locations.

Condemning the disruption, Tharoor said the suspension of services would have far-reaching consequences.

“The forced suspension of visa services at the Indian Assistant High Commissions in Khulna and Rajshahi, driven by escalating security threats, is a major setback. This disruption directly impacts students, patients, and families who were finally seeing a glimpse of normalisation in cross-border mobility,” he said.

With Bangladesh scheduled to hold national elections on February 12, 2026, Tharoor warned that this atmosphere of violence and intolerance “bodes ill for the democratic process”.

The Congress leader also outlined steps for the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government to ensure stability and democratic continuity in the country.

Emphasising the need for decisive action, he said: “Protection of Journalists: Journalists should not have to post frantic messages for their lives while their offices burn. Mob rule must not be allowed to prevail.”

He further mentioned that the security of diplomatic facilities must be ensured to maintain vital people-to-people ties. “Extra protection must be provided for targeted embassies & consulates,” he said.

“Constructive dialogue must replace ochlocracy if the country is to survive this transition with any semblance of democracy. Interim Chief Mohammed Yunus must take the lead personally to ensure this,” he added, stressing the need to restore the calm.

Tharoor underscored that peace in Bangladesh holds significance beyond its borders, noting that stability in the country is “vital” for South Asia as a whole.

“We hope for a return to peace and a safe environment where the voice of the people is heard through the ballot, not through violence and intimidation,” he added.

New Delhi, Dec 18: The ban on Dhurandhar by Pakistan and some Gulf nations has not affected its run at the box office. The movie is showing no signs of slowing down, but the ISI has a major problem back in Pakistan.

The movie, which deals with the 1999 Khandahar hijacking, Mumbai 26/11 attacks and also the Lyari gang wars, has not gone down well with the Pakistan establishment, and all attempts have been made to block it. However, the ISI has completely lost control over the digital space and attempts at a blackout have failed miserably.

At least 2 million illegal downloads of the film have been reported in Pakistan in just two weeks. It has gone on to become the most pirated movie in Pakistan, beating 2.0 and Raees. The ban in Pakistan may have cost the movie makers Rs 50-60 crore, but the message about Pakistan being a complete terror state has been sent across Pakistan.

Although it makes no difference to the Pakistanis about what their country is, it is a psychological win for India, which has managed to spread the message despite the movie being banned. The Pakistanis are in particular upset about the portrayal of Lyari. The establishment is so desperate to counter this narrative that it has decided to fast-track a film about Lyari showing the place in a good light.

“Indian movie Dhurandhar is yet another example of negative propaganda by the Indian film industry against Pakistan, especially targeting Lyari. Lyari is not violence — it is culture, peace, talent, and resilience. Next month, Mera Lyari will release, showing the true face of Lyari: peace, prosperity, and pride. #MeraLyari,” Sindh’s Senior Provincial Minister for Information, Sharjeel Inam Memon said on X.

The ISI, despite monitoring the internet relating to the movie, has completely failed to take control. Torrents and piracy links are all over the internet, which are being used to download the movie.

The Dark Web experts in the country are using the servers in Sri Lanka, Nepal and Malaysia to ensure that the Pakistanis are able to download the film illegally and watch it. The Pakistanis are downloading the movie through Telegram channels, underground streams and also the VPN. The very fact that it has gone on to become the most pirated film to date only shows that the ISI has failed to control the situation, and all attempts to blackout the movie have fallen flat.

Officials say that this surge in the number of downloads indicates the curiosity that the people in Pakistan have about the movie.

While some may not agree with the narrative of the film, many are appreciative of the acting in the movie. Many Pakistanis are creating reels and memes on social media, it has come to light.

The social media accounts linked to both the ISI and ISPR have been using smaller clips in the movie to mock the narrative India has set. They are trying to pass off the content with false narratives against India.

The agencies say that there are attempts by the ISI-linked social media handles to manipulate the content to suit the local narrative. Experts say that the manner in which the movie Mera Lyari is being fast-tracked for a January release and the way in which the ISI is desperately trying to block out the film suggest that the Pakistanis are on the defensive.

The fact that the curiosity around the film is growing with each passing day and the rate at which it is being illegally downloaded only shows that the ISI has failed in its actions, the expert also points out.

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has also filed a legal challenge in a Karachi court questioning the images of the late Benazir Bhutto being used. The petition seeks an FIR against the cast and crew of the movie Dhurandhar.

The film’s star cast is led by Ranveer Singh, who plays Hamza, an Indian spy who infiltrates Pakistan’s Lyari to dismantle terror networks, which are backed by the ISI. The cast also includes Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, R. Madhavan, Arjun Rampal and Rakesh Bedi.

New Delhi, Dec 10: With the Indian agencies cracking down heavily on the narcotics trade, Intelligence Bureau officials have warned about an uptick in the smuggling of fake currency notes. In the past two weeks, several operations have been carried out in various parts of the country in which fake currency rackets have been busted.

The fake currency mafia is controlled by the Dawood Ibrahim syndicate, which is based in Pakistan. While the syndicate is trying to find newer routes and partners to further the narcotics trade, it is also stepping up operations relating to fake Indian currency. The ISI needs funds to resurrect its terror groups, which were largely beaten down during Operation Sindoor.

The fake currency racket had taken a slight backseat for some years, but now there are full-fledged plans to resume operations on a very large scale. Malda in West Bengal remains the main hub for this racket in India. Now with an unfriendly regime in place in Bangladesh, the ISI sees an opportunity to scale up operations.

All the fake currency that is being printed in Pakistan is first routed into Bangladesh. The ISI finds no problem in routing fake notes into Bangladesh, as Islamabad and Dhaka have close ties today. The sea route has been opened up, and the visa process is much simpler for Pakistanis, and this is being taken advantage of by the ISI.

From Bangladesh, the operatives push the fake currency into Malda, following which it is circulated across the country. Officials report that apart from West Bengal, mini modules have been set up in various parts of the country. The notes are transported either from Malda or Murshidabad in West Bengal to the rest of the country.

An official said there has been an increase in such cases, as the ISI and D-Syndicate are pushing it massively. There is a desperate need for funds as the ISI is not only trying to revive terror groups in Pakistan, but is also creating another front in Bangladesh. It wants to engage India on both fronts, and hence the simultaneous push is being made, the official explained.

These gangs operating the racket in India have been coming up with various ways to push fake notes into the market. In Gujarat, a gang that was running a money-doubling scam was busted. It was found that victims were lured into the scheme, and they were given fake Indian currency. This gang was operating mainly in Gujarat and Maharashtra, the probe has revealed.

While the Bangladesh-West Bengal route is the primary one for this racket, there is also a fresh push to smuggle these notes through the UAE into Kerala. Over the years, Kasargod in Kerala has become a major hub for smuggling fake currency notes.

M.B. Moosa, Abdul Rahman, K.M. Hamza, Kallatra Abdul Ha Khader Haji, Irabhim Soopi, K.S. Abdullah, and Kadavath Atta are the ones who have been running this racket. The notes from Pakistan would reach these persons through the UAE route.

Officials say that the Kerala route is one of the hardest to control. There is a huge rush at the airports owing to the number of people visiting the Gulf nations. The ISI has taken advantage of the stress on the security mechanism at these airports in Kerala. Most of the time, these persons get away because the customs formations are understaffed. This makes checking everyone difficult.

Further, the detection has also become very difficult owing to the quality of the notes that are being printed. An Intelligence Bureau official said that the notes are printed in government printing presses in Lahore, Karachi, Quetta, Multan, and Peshawar. These are the same places where the official Pakistani Rupee is also printed. Hence, the quality of the Indian notes being printed in Pakistan is of very superior quality, and this is making detection a challenge, the officer explained.

The gravity of the problem in India, courtesy this fresh push by Dawood and the ISI, can be seen in a report published by the US State Department. “India faces an increasing inflow of high-quality counterfeit currency, which is produced primarily in Pakistan but smuggled to India through multiple international routes. Criminal networks exchange counterfeit currency for genuine notes, which not only facilitates money laundering but also represents a threat to the Indian economy,” the report says.