Bangladesh government has moved to block social networking site Facebook for six hours starting from every midnight “for the betterment of students and youths”.

The cabinet division has forwarded a letter to the telecom ministry in this regard saying that it is “affecting the students” and “dimming the working capabilities of the youths”.

Shyam Sunder Sikder, secretary of the division, acknowledged the receipt of such a letter from the cabinet division while talking to The Daily Star this morning.

The telecom division has asked Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission’s opinion on this issue, he said. “We have to assess whether it would hamper business communications.”

“We received the letter from the Cabinet Division on March 27 with a resolution of last year’s Deputy Commissioners’ conference and immediately sought recommendation from the telecom regulator,” said Sikder.

After the BTRC’s recommendation the government will take its final decision.