[🇧🇩] Disinformation/Misinformation about Bangladesh in National/International Media

[Saif]

49 Indian media outlets spread fake reports

As many as 49 Indian media outlets spread at least 13 false reports about Bangladesh between August 12 and December 5, 2024, according to an investigation by Rumor Scanner, a Bangladeshi fact-checking organisation.

www.thedailystar.net

49 Indian media outlets spread fake reports
Finds Rumor Scanner

Photo: Collected

As many as 49 Indian media outlets spread at least 13 false reports about Bangladesh between August 12 and December 5, 2024, according to an investigation by Rumor Scanner, a Bangladeshi fact-checking organisation.


In a report titled "Spread of Fake News About Bangladesh in Indian Media Outlets" published on its website yesterday, Rumor Scanner debunked the false claims and identified the media outlets responsible for spreading the misinformation.

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According to Rumor Scanner, since the fall of the Awami League-led government on August 5, Indian media outlets have been circulating a series of rumours about the situation in Bangladesh.

Republic Bangla topped the list of Indian media outlets with most false reports about Bangladesh by broadcasting five rumours. The Hindustan Times, Zee News, and Live Mint each spread three false reports. Meanwhile, Republic, India Today, ABP Anand, and Aaj Tak each broadcast two false reports. The remaining 41 media outlets spread one false report each.

The debunked claims included: a fake letter from Sheikh Hasina after her resignation; a video of a Muslim man falsely claimed as Hindu during a search for his son; false reports about Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus's health and location; baseless claims of withdrawal of bans on militant groups; arms smuggling via a ship from Pakistan; misrepresentation of lawyer Saiful Islam's murder; alleged ban on Indian TV channels; idol immersion in India misrepresented as a reaction to attacks on Hindu idols in Bangladesh; an alleged attack on a Shyamoli Paribahan bus from India; and false UK travel advisories for Bangladesh.

According to the fact-checking organisation, soon after Hasina fled and took refuge in India, the Indian media circulated an alleged open letter from her blaming the US for her removal. However, Rumor Scanner confirmed no such letter existed. It originated from a Facebook post and was published by a page, "Tripura Bhobishyot".

It also debunked a viral video that was broadcast by an Indian news outlet claiming a Hindu man was protesting for his missing son. Rumor Scanner found the man, Babul Howlader, was Muslim. His son had been missing since 2013.


The Indian media also used a morphed photo to falsely report that Prof Yunus was admitted to ICU after he was sworn in as chief adviser, according to the Rumor Scanner. It also debunked an Indian media report that said Prof Yunus fled to France after Trump's November 5 presidential win. The photo with the story was taken on August 8 when Yunus returned home from France to take oath as the chief adviser.

Claims of bans being lifted on militant organisations were also baseless, as verified by Rumor Scanner.

On November 13, the Indian media reported that a Pakistani military ship docked at Chattogram port. Rumor Scanner confirmed it was a commercial vessel carrying goods.

After the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, spokesperson for Sammilita Sanatani Jagaran Jote, for disrespecting the national flag, rumours spread about lawyer Saiful Islam Alif's murder. Indian media outlets claimed that Saiful was murdered for defending Chinmoy at court. However, this claim was incorrect. Chinmoy's lawyer was Subhashish Sharma, not Saiful.

Some Indian media claimed Indian satellite channels were shut down in Bangladesh, but Rumor Scanner confirmed they remain operational, as verified by the information ministry and the Cable Operators Association.

Another claim suggested that the Bangladesh Air Force, with Chinese support, planned Asia's second-largest airbase near the so-called Chicken Neck, aka the Siliguri Corridor. However, Rumor Scanner identified this news as false. Lalmonirhat airport, which has been unused for over six decades, saw no such activities as claimed by the report.

The fact-finding organisation identified a viral video claiming to show a temple attack in Bangladesh as fake. The video was taken in India during idol immersion.

Reports of anti-India slogans following a bus accident in Brahmanbaria were also identified as rumours by the Rumor Scanner.

UK travel advisories were falsely portrayed as Bangladesh-specific, whereas they applied to multiple countries, including India, with no heightened warnings for most of Bangladesh.​

 

[Saif]

Resist communal forces in your country, we’ll do it in Bangladesh

Eminent citizens yesterday urged the Indian people to stand against communalism, which is a “major problem in this subcontinent”.

www.thedailystar.net

Resist communal forces in your country, we’ll do it in Bangladesh
145 eminent citizens urge Indian people

Photo: Reuters

Eminent citizens yesterday urged the Indian people to stand against communalism, which is a "major problem in this subcontinent".

"We will fight against communal tendencies and forces in our country. You will also stand against communalism in your country," reads a statement signed by 145 eminent citizens.

Bangladesh-India diplomatic relations are in a sorry state and some Indian communal forces are continuously trying to disrupt the friendly relations among the people of this region, it says.

Rulers in the subcontinent have always "used communalism as a tool" to distract attention from education, health care, rising prices, and violence against women, it adds.

"During political transitions, incidents of attacks on minority communities happen repeatedly."

The signatories say that they never equate the Indian people with the Indian government.

"We know that the people of India are also fighting against 'Hindutva' forces and communalism. We [Bangladeshis] fought for a long time against the 'fascist' Awami League regime and brought it down."

When the Bangladeshi people fought against tyranny in July and August, the people of India took to the streets in solidarity. For a long time, people on both sides of the border stood in solidarity with each other.

People of both countries have fought together against communalism which creates divisions.

When the AL was in power, homes of Hindu people were attacked, properties grabbed, temples desecrated, and people were injured and killed. But after the ouster of AL on August 5, similar incidents took place.

"However, this time, many political parties, inspired by the mass uprising, protected Hindu homes and temples, setting new examples of communal harmony."

Many Indian media outlets have not been depicting the true picture of Bangladesh, says the statement.

Although the Indian government expressed regret over the incident of attack on the Bangladesh mission in Agartala, it had not taken any effective step to stop the falsehood.

In every country, communal forces and the ruling class benefit from false propaganda. They use communal sentiments to seize power.

The Indian government's role after the arrest of former ISKCON leader Chinmoy Krishna Das was surprising. There were allegations against him within ISKCON, and the organisation expelled him.

"We support his right to a fair trial, which is a right for everyone. However, it is astonishing how swiftly the Indian Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement in his favour."

On the day he appeared in court, a chaotic situation ensued, leading to the murder of lawyer Saiful Islam Alif. Thanks to the collective efforts of the people of this country, no major unpleasant incident occurred in the wake of that event.

Mentioning the minority communities' significant role during the Bangladesh Liberation War, other democratic movements, and the July-August uprising, the eminent citizens say while communal groups exist in the country, the unity of the entire population is the only way to prevent their activities.

Problems faced by the people of the two countries are very similar. Communal divisions and violence will not solve these problems. The struggle is against division, tension and hatred between communities, they add.

Signatories to the statement include Prof Anu Muhammad, Prof Salimullah Khan, Prof Sayeed Ferdous, Prof Swadhin Sen, Prof Gitiara Nasreen, Prof Kamrul Hasan Mamun, Prof Tuhin Wadud, Supreme Court lawyer Jyotirmoy Barua, writer and journalist Altaf Parvez, writer Rahnuma Ahmed, musician Shayan, central member of Jatiya Nagorik Committee Pritom Das, and Associate Professor Samina Luthfa.​

 

[Saif]

Virulent hate campaign should stop

Since the fall of Sheikh Hasina on August 5 this year, there has been persistent propaganda against Bangladesh carried out by several Indian politicians, intellectuals, celebrities and media people. Armed with half-truths and distorted facts, they have virtually launched a series of attacks against

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Virulent hate campaign should stop
Tanim Asjad
Published :
Dec 06, 2024 21:40
Updated :
Dec 06, 2024 21:40

Since the fall of Sheikh Hasina on August 5 this year, there has been persistent propaganda against Bangladesh carried out by several Indian politicians, intellectuals, celebrities and media people. Armed with half-truths and distorted facts, they have virtually launched a series of attacks against Bangladesh in various print, electronic and social media. Their one-sided, biased and partial analyses of the overall situation in Bangladesh have sparked and intensified hatred against the country. Indian abroad, especially in the United States (USA), have joined the hate campaign in the name of demand for protecting the minorities, Hindus to be precise, in Bangladesh. Many Hindu extremists in India are also demanding their government's intervention in Bangladesh in this connection. Some have also threatened to impose trade sanctions against Bangladesh. The allegation is also there that the Indian government has also been backing the hate campaign to demonstrate to the world that Bangladesh has become a heaven of extremists.

To many Indians, and also the Indian establishments, the fall of the Hasina regime was shocking and unacceptable. There is no denying the fact that the Indian government has supported Hasina since her assumption of power in 2008. The unconditional, and also some conditional, backing from New Delhi turned the now ousted prime minister of Bangladesh into a ruthless ruler and the country became subservient to its big neighbour. Allegation is also there that New Delhi largely dictated Bangladesh's foreign policy during the period. Dhaka was also forced to accept unfair international deals and award contracts that went against the country's long-term economic interests, like the Adani power deal and the Ruppoor nuclear energy projects. The cronies of Hasina, in collaboration with Indian partners in some cases, took control of the country's power and other sectors. Over the years, they have illegally accumulated and transferred billions of dollars outside the country.

The anti-discrimination movement, a powerful display of unity and solidarity among students, youths, and almost all sections of people in Bangladesh, posed a serious challenge to the Hasina regime. To repress the movement, the regime restored brutal killing and cruel intimidation, leading to the death of more than 1,500 people and injury of more than 20,000 people in the country. Terming the incidents in Bangladesh an 'internal affairs' of the country, as many argued, New Delhi had continued to back the Hasina regime. However, the movement ultimately forced Hasina to step down, flee and take shelter in India.

Most of the Indians, especially the blind supporters of the Hindutva project of India's ruling party, either ignorantly or intentionally failed to understand the critical context of the fall of the Hasina regime. To them, what the regime did in the name of development and secularism was correct. They did not, and still do not, care about the aspirations and opinions of the people of Bangladesh. They only want an Indian-loyal government in Bangladesh. That's why they have waged a virulent hate campaign against the students and youths who led the movement, the interim government headed by Dr Muhammad Yunus and the majority of people in Bangladesh. It reflects their frustration and anger. Many of the mainstream Indian media outlets also backed the hatred by publishing various misinformed and distorted news without due verification. Sensationalisation in various electronic media and TV channel increased the hatred further. It is also not surprising that a small section of Bangladeshis either join or back the hate campaign. They are Indian loyalists and Hasina stalwarts who are quite opportunists, too.

As the campaign against Bangladesh raged, it also fuelled counter-attacks with a mix of hate and intolerance, as reflected in disrespecting Indian flags, for instance. Extremist Islamist groups also use the opportunity to deepen the anti-Indian sentiment in Bangladesh. The liberal voices in both the countries have also come under pressure from the biased camps. So, it becomes more challenging for Bangladesh to counter the hate campaign based on misinformation and lie.​

 

[Saif]

How Indian media conducts its disinformation campaign

A look at two interviews of the press secretary to understand how the layers of misinformation are exploited to build a false narrative

www.thedailystar.net

How Indian media conducts its disinformation campaign
A look at two interviews of the press secretary to understand how the layers of misinformation are exploited to build a false narrative

VISUAL: SALMAN SAKIB SHAHRYAR

The India Today interview, aired on December 3, of Shafiqul Alam, the chief adviser's press secretary, is a fairly good example of the typical Indian disinformation campaign.

The tone is set right at the beginning when the presenter introduces Shafiqul saying, "…now listen in to how, in fact, this Yunus-government insider actually denies Hindu hate" as if that has already been established.

Gaurav Sawant begins by saying that the reports from Bangladesh suggest the situation is rather "grim" for Hindus and minorities in Bangladesh and proceeds to ask Shafiqul, what the government is doing to make Hindus and other minorities feel secure "amid reports that there is a sharp rise in attacks on them". There is no substantiation of the "grim" situation or the "sharp rise", however, as if it is already established.

Shafiq begins by saying there is an industrial scale misinformation coming of India and the situation here for Hindus, or other minorities, is not as bad as is being made.

By the time Gaurav Sawant comes back with the question, the screen starts showing a photo of Ramen Roy and another of former ISKCON monk, Chinmoy Ksishna Das, with subtitles reading Ramen Roy, Chinnoy Prabhu's lawyer, allegedly attacked by Islamists. This is where another layer of disinformation begins.

Ramen Roy is a Supreme Court lawyer who was attacked in Shahbagh on November 25 during a protest by ISKCON supporters. He slipped into coma for lack of medical attention. A grave misfortune, no doubt, and rather deplorable incident. But the man was by no means Chinmoy's lawyer. In all likelihood, Ramen Roy was caught in scuffle between two parties and the police must find the perpetrators of this senseless violence and ensure justice for the lawyer. As for Chinmoy himself, the monk had to leave (or was let go) ISKCON under very dubious circumstances with grave allegations levelled against him.

Gaurav Sawant then goes on to say, "The manner in which Hindu temples are being burnt, professors are being sacked, police personnel are being sacked…your attorney general is calling ISKCON fundamentalist but Hifazat-e Islam and Jamaat-e-Islami, they seem to be ruling the roost in Bangladesh…it just seems a little odd for a country like Bangladesh where India had played a very critical role in the freedom of Bangladesh from Pakistan and it just seems to be becoming another Pakistan. To that, Shafiqul repeated that India was flooded with industrial scale misinformation campaign and asked Gaurav to send his team to Bangladesh.

The line of questioning brings in too many elements into play which makes it difficult to address the actual question at hand because of the need to set the premise straight — that the fundamentalist Islamists are not ruling the roost. No one from Bangladesh challenges Indian government about why RSS is ruling the roost there. It is a question for the Indians and their journalists to ask but not for outsiders. What the Indian media establishment refuses to accept or acknowledge is that they have a party in power for the last 10 years that aspires to establish a Hindu Rashtra, a Hindu state, which is almost similar to what the Jamaat-e-Islami aspires for — an Islamic state. Also, just because India helped Bangladesh does not mean Bangladesh is a vassal state.

The presenter suggested that hundreds of temples are burning as he speaks, while frenzied mullahs are forcing Hindu teachers and police officers to resign. It is not that it has not happened. It has. But police officers and teachers were made to resign for their political affiliations not because they were Hindus, there were Muslims too. In fact, if one were to enumerate them, Muslims would perhaps outnumber Hindus by four to one. It was political retribution. That was also the same case with Munni Saha, which Shafiqul explains as another case of political reprisal, and not a case of religious persecution. There were some temples vandalised in August while in Chattogram, one temple was stoned and its glass door broke down.

But Shafiqul does not get the opportunity to point this out as Gaurav Sawant has begun talking at his interviewee almost goading him, instead of talking to him. Shafiq implores to let him finish before the host begins to shout over him. The interview soon breaks down where both are talking at the same time and it seems to the audience that a government official has been exposed.

In another interview with NDTV (this one with Shafiqul as well, aired on December 4), the anchor points out that the government has not arrested the violence on minorities "given the fact that some of the videos and photos and commentary that's been coming in are actually attacks on minorities that continue unabated". Again, none of this is established or attributed directly. But the question is premised in such a manner that the unabated violence is a universally acknowledged truth.

Shafiqul acknowledges that there were indeed some violence and says there were isolated incidents. While this host continues in a more civil manner, the footage on screen turns aggressive. It shows absolute mayhem in several places, where thugs are beating up young women on the streets, mobs are chasing away police patrol and vandalising a police pick up van. Anyone would agree that the situation was completely out of control in Bangladesh and Hindus were indeed in grave danger. Except, most of the clips are from July and August where Chhatra League goons were beating up protesters, or where protesters were chasing away policemen and trying to vandalise their cars. Thus, Shafiqul's insistence that the situation is stable, he comes off as a brazen misrepresentation of facts.

This selective choice of half-truths and exaggerating them with meticulous manipulation is repeated so much, especially on social media platforms and television stations, that they have unfortunately come to define the Indian media. There are of course some credible outlets like the Hindu and tough, but journalistic interviewers like Karan Thapar. In fact, Rajdeep Sardesai's recent interview by Karan Thapar for the Wire where the reputed journalist expressed his disillusionment with the Indian media establishment bears testimony to its downward spiral.

What is perhaps most worrying is that this unrelenting barrage of disinformation campaign from the other side of the border is not helping cool down temperatures. It is becoming increasingly worrisome for minorities in India as well as those in Bangladesh, sometimes to such an extent that governments are now having to grapple with the issues before they escalate further.​

 

[Saif]

Faulty media reports portray Bangladesh unfairly

Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said yesterday that the minority issue in Bangladesh has been misrepresented in international media and influential nations’ top parliamentary hearings due to faulty reports by certain minority groups.

www.thedailystar.net

Faulty media reports portray Bangladesh unfairly
Says CA’s press secretary

Photo: BSS

Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said yesterday that the minority issue in Bangladesh has been misrepresented in international media and influential nations' top parliamentary hearings due to faulty reports by certain minority groups.

In a statement posted on his verified Facebook account, he urged secular newspapers and international rights groups to open probes into the alleged religious violence cases here to find out the truth.

"When the Netra News debunked the Bangladesh Hindu Buddha Christian Unity Council's report on the attacks on the Hindu community in the post-revolution days, I expected the group to make a statement," he said.

"After all, they were challenged by a top investigative website, which built its reputation by covering some of the biggest corruption and human rights violation stories in Bangladesh," Shafiqul Alam said.

The press secretary said the Netra News report claimed that nearly all nine Hindu deaths, which the minority council attributed to communal hatred-related violence, were linked to other factors such as political, personal, and other reasons.

"Our expectations were that the unity council would respond to the Netra News report, for it raises serious questions about the way the council collects and files reports on violence against minorities in Bangladesh," he said.

He also said the unity council also made a similar controversial report on the attacks on minorities in Bangladesh in July this year.

"It said in the 2023-24 financial year, beginning on July 1, 2023, at least 45 people of minority faiths -- mostly Hindus -- were killed in the country. Again, Bangladeshi newspapers carried the story on their front and back pages. And not a single media outlet challenged the report despite there being serious questions about the veracity of the unity council's claims," Alam said.

However, according to the Ain o Salish Kendra, the country's largest human rights group, no one was killed in anti-minority violence in 2023 and only two persons were killed this year (January to October), he said.

The ASK is a secular group headed by human rights defender ZI Khan Panna. He has told local media that he would be interested in defending Sheikh Hasina, the ousted prime minister in the July uprising, in trials.

Claiming that the Bangladesh Hindu Buddha Christian Unity Council's reports have a far-reaching impact, the press secretary said when a British MP recently spoke about the attacks on minorities in Bangladesh, he quoted the Council's report.

The report on the post-revolution attacks on Hindus was cited more than 11 million times in social media, he said.

"What I've learnt is that the powerful and deep-pocketed Hindu American groups, Indian national and regional newspapers, and top Indian commentators cite its report to portray the state of minorities in Bangladesh. Experts told me the Unity Council's reports have been the single biggest source of misinformation on anti-minority violence in Bangladesh," he added.

Alam said, "Violence against minorities happens in Bangladesh. We are still not the ideal country as far as communal harmony is concerned. We hear reports of discrimination based on religion. There are also regular bouts of violence triggered by allegedly blasphemous Facebook posts. And some fringe groups and figures often spread hate against minority people."

In recent weeks, he said, there have been greater efforts by the interim government, political, religious, and civil society leaders urging people to stay calm during religiously tinged incidents.

Some of them have shown extraordinary political maturity in these events, he said.

However, he claimed, the Unity Council's reports have systematically exaggerated the violence perpetrated against the minority people.

"We hope top secular and liberal newspapers will do their own probe into the alleged cases of religious violence reported by the council. We also hope international rights groups such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International will also do similar investigations," the press secretary said.

The HRW did an excellent investigation into the massacres of Hefazat activists in 2013, he mentioned, hoping that the rights group would do a similar probe.

He said if the government does the debunking job, there is a strong chance that its reports will be seen with some sort of scepticism.

"Let the independent newspapers and rights groups probe these incidents. We think it is a serious issue, for Bangladesh has been unfairly portrayed in international media and top parliamentary hearings in influential nations," Alam said.

He said some even call for sending UN peacekeepers to Bangladesh -- or intervening in the country -- based on these reports, and that is why the interim government wants fair investigations into the alleged cases of minority repression.​

 

[Saif]

India's policy on reliance on AL and politics of disinformation

In diplomatic relations, all sovereign nations maintain the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961, which is globally recognised and legally binding. The convention states in its verse No. 3 under the article no. 5 that a head of mission or any member of the diplomatic staff of the...

en.prothomalo.com

India's policy on reliance on AL and politics of disinformation
Saimum Parvez
Updated: 06 Dec 2024, 19: 40

Indian policymakers should keep in mind that only Awami League or Sheikh Hasina does not represent Bangladesh. Prothom Alo

In diplomatic relations, all sovereign nations maintain the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961, which is globally recognised and legally binding. The convention states in its verse No. 3 under the article no. 5 that a head of mission or any member of the diplomatic staff of the mission may act as representative of the sending state to any international organisation.

Besides, its article no. 22 noted that the premises of the mission shall be inviolable. The agents of the receiving state may not enter them, except with the consent of the head of the mission .The mission premises, their furnishings and other property thereon and the means of transport of the mission shall be immune from search, requisition, attachment or execution.

The recent attack and vandalism on the Bangladesh assistant high commission in Agartala of India is a blatant violation of the above mentioned articles. The Vienna Convention has been violated through the failure of the Indian government to prevent the attack and ensure the security of the Bangladeshi diplomatic mission.

Moreover, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee urged the union government to take steps for the deployment of the UN peacekeeping force in Bangladesh. Anti-Bangladesh protests took place at places in India, where the effigies of Bangladesh chief adviser Dr Muhamma Yunus were burnt. There were protests even near the border.

Against this backdrop, it is necessary to analyse the reasons behind the rise of anti-Bangladesh sentiment and the uncourteous behaviour by the Indian politicians.

Since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina regime on 5 August, different Indian media outlets and social media accounts have been disseminating exaggerated or false narratives about events in Bangladesh.

Republic Bangla, a news channel, outperformed all others in terms of spreading propaganda. On 12 November, its host Mayukh Ranjan Ghosh raised a demand for annexing the Chattogram area to India. The channel also spread rumors that Indian satellite channels were banned in Bangladesh and that Pakistani warships had arrived at the Chattogram port.

In another instance of fictitious and fake news, a platform called Calcutta News spread rumour that Bangladesh is building an airbase near the Chicken Neck area in collaboration with China.

In addition to mainstream media, disinformation was spread on different social media platforms, particularly on X. According to fact-checking site dismislab, an X account named Baba Banaras spread a fake claim that 50 Hindus were killed and six Hindu women were kidnapped during army raids in Chattogram. Like Baba Banaras, there are numerous accounts on X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Telegram that are trying to spin false narratives by spreading disinformation.

The Indian Express, Hindustan Times, and many other Indian news outlets and social media accounts spread disinformation by claiming Saiful Islam, a lawyer who was slain on 26 November, as the lawyer of Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari.

Following the political changeover on 5 August, the incidents of attacks on Hindu homes as well as temples were sensationalised in different Indian media outlets and social media accounts, in an effort to gain political benefits. In some cases, old incidents were described as recent ones while using irrelevant footage and images.

Investigations by Deutsche Welle (7 August, 2024) and BBC Bangla (11 August, 2024) revealed that numerous false claims as well as disinformation were spread regarding attacks on temples and business outlets and incidents of torturing women, arson and murder.

These fake, exaggerated and disinformation are not only creating an environment of hatred but also undermining the credibility of real incidents. India tops among the countries with risks of fake and disinformation.

The disinformation over Bangladesh is apparently impacting the politicians, civil society and the people in India. The statement from the West Bengal chief minister and the attack on the assistant high commission is the consequences of the hatred. Reports with roots in disinformation are not only reaching the Indian politicians and the masses, but also misleading lawmakers in many other countries across the world.

The influence of Awami League and Sheikh Hasina in India’s policy on Bangladesh has emerged as a major setback to improve bilateral relationship. Unfortunately, it was seen that India not only sheltered Sheikh Hasina, but also clung to her narratives. Those who decide the foreign policy in India should understand that the people of Bangladesh overthrew the Sheikh Hasina regime through a spontaneous uprising.

The narratives of Sheikh Hasina and Awami League are now contradictory to the people’s aspirations. Therefore, India will never be able to develop a good relationship with Bangladesh on the basis of a foreign policy which is rooted in friendship with the Awami League. Rather than putting all eggs in a single basket, India should try to develop ties with the political parties and civil society of Bangladesh.

Those who formulate India's foreign policy must remember that an unstable and anti-India Bangladesh is not beneficial for India's own geopolitics.

The Awami League or Sheikh Hasina does not represent all of Bangladesh. Rather, Bangladesh is a vast, diverse, and pluralistic country, home to people with various political beliefs. Relying solely on one political party is not only dangerous but also an example of an illogical, passive, and ineffective foreign policy.

If incidents of violence or minority persecution occur within Bangladesh, India has the right to protest and condemn them according to international law. However, interference in Bangladesh's internal matters, attacks on embassies, or thoughtless comments like sending UN peacekeepers will only escalate the tensions between the two countries.

Indian politicians should also remember that minorities in their own country are not faring well. Incidents of persecution and violence against Sikhs, Christians, Muslims, and Dalits, as well as attacks on mosques, temples, and churches, are increasing in India. Human rights violations against Muslims in Kashmir and Christians in Manipur have been highlighted by global media. If Bangladesh responds internationally to such incidents, as India has done, would this be desirable for India?

In India's political game for votes, Bangladesh should not be treated as a pawn. Rather, India should move away from its dependence on the Awami League and make its Bangladesh policy more Bangladesh-centric. The foundation of bilateral relations should be mutual trust, friendship, and equality.

* Dr Saimum Parvez is a teacher of political communications at Germany's DW Academy and Bonn Rhein-Sieg University​

 

[Saif]

How Indian media distorted two interviews with the CA's press secretary

The interviews presented a good example of the typical Indian disinformation campaign.

www.thedailystar.net

How Indian media distorted two interviews with the CA's press secretary
Indian media disinformation campaign

VISUAL: SALMAN SAKIB SHAHRYAR

The India Today interview, aired on December 3, of Shafiqul Alam, the chief adviser's press secretary, is a fairly good example of the typical Indian disinformation campaign.

The tone is set right at the beginning when the presenter introduces Shafiqul saying, "…now listen in to how, in fact, this Yunus-government insider actually denies Hindu hate" as if that has already been established.

Gaurav Sawant begins by saying that the reports from Bangladesh suggest the situation is rather "grim" for Hindus and minorities in Bangladesh and proceeds to ask Shafiqul, what the government is doing to make Hindus and other minorities feel secure "amid reports that there is a sharp rise in attacks on them." There is no substantiation of the "grim" situation or the "sharp rise," however, as if it is already established.

Shafiqul begins by saying there is an industrial scale misinformation coming out of India and the situation here for Hindus, or other minorities, is not as bad as is being made.

By the time Gaurav Sawant comes back with the question, the screen starts showing a photo of Ramen Roy and another of former ISKCON monk, Chinmoy Krishna Das, with subtitles reading Ramen Roy, Chinmoy Prabhu's lawyer, allegedly attacked by Islamists. This is where another layer of disinformation begins.

Ramen Roy is a Supreme Court lawyer who was attacked in Shahbagh on November 25 during a protest by ISKCON supporters. He slipped into a coma for lack of medical attention. A grave misfortune, no doubt, and rather deplorable incident. But the man was by no means Chinmoy's lawyer. In all likelihood, Ramen Roy was caught in a scuffle and the police must find the perpetrators of this senseless violence and ensure justice for the lawyer. As for Chinmoy himself, the monk had to leave (or was let go) ISKCON under very dubious circumstances with grave allegations levelled against him.

Gaurav Sawant then goes on to say, "The manner in which Hindu temples are being burnt, professors are being sacked, police personnel are being sacked…your attorney general is calling ISKCON fundamentalist but Hefazat-e-Islam and Jamaat-e-Islami, they seem to be ruling the roost in Bangladesh…it just seems a little odd for a country like Bangladesh where India had played a very critical role in the freedom of Bangladesh from Pakistan and it just seems to be becoming another Pakistan." To that, Shafiqul repeated that India was flooded with an industrial scale misinformation campaign and asked Gaurav to send his team to Bangladesh.

The line of questioning brings in too many elements into play which makes it difficult to address the actual question at hand because of the need to set the premise straight—that the fundamentalist Islamists are not ruling the roost. No one from Bangladesh challenges Indian government about why RSS is ruling the roost there. It is a question for the Indians and their journalists to ask but not for outsiders. What the Indian media establishment refuses to accept or acknowledge is that they have a party in power for the last 10 years that aspires to establish a Hindu Rashtra, a Hindu state, which is almost similar to what the Jamaat-e-Islami aspires for—an Islamic state. Also, just because India helped Bangladesh does not mean Bangladesh is a vassal state.

The presenter suggested that hundreds of temples are burning as he speaks, while frenzied mullahs are forcing Hindu teachers and police officers to resign. It is not that it has not happened. It has. But police officers and teachers were made to resign for their political affiliations, not because they were Hindus, there were Muslims too. In fact, if one were to enumerate them, Muslims would perhaps outnumber Hindus by four to one. It was political retribution. That was also the same case with Munni Saha, which Shafiqul explains as another case of political reprisal, and not a case of religious persecution. There were some temples vandalised in August while in Chattogram, one temple was stoned and its glass door broke down.

But Shafiqul does not get the opportunity to point this out as Gaurav Sawant has begun talking at his interviewee almost goading him, instead of talking to him. Shafiq implores to let him finish before the host begins to shout over him. The interview soon breaks down where both are talking at the same time and it seems to the audience that a government official has been exposed.

In another interview with NDTV (this one with Shafiqul as well, aired on December 4), the anchor points out that the government has not arrested the violence on minorities "given the fact that some of the videos and photos and commentary that's been coming in are actually attacks on minorities that continue unabated." Again, none of this is established or attributed directly. But the question is premised in such a manner that the unabated violence is a universally acknowledged truth.

Shafiqul acknowledges that there were indeed some violence and says there were isolated incidents. While this host continues in a more civil manner, the footage on screen turns aggressive. It shows absolute mayhem in several places, where thugs are beating up young women on the streets, mobs are chasing away police patrol and vandalising a police pickup van. Anyone would agree that the situation was completely out of control in Bangladesh and Hindus were indeed in grave danger. Except, most of the clips are from July and August where Chhatra League goons were beating up protesters, or where protesters were chasing away policemen and trying to vandalise their cars. Thus, through Shafiqul's insistence that the situation is stable, he comes off as brazenly misrepresenting facts.

Rumor Scanner, a factchecking outfit in Dhaka reported on December 6 that as many as 49 Indian news outlets published 13 fake news items on Bangladesh over the four months that the interim government has been in power. The outlets include reputable ones like Live Mint, India Today, Hindustan Times and The Print.

This selective choice of half-truths and exaggerating them with meticulous manipulation is repeated so much, especially on social media platforms and television stations, that they have unfortunately come to define the Indian media. There are of course some credible outlets like The Hindu and tough, but journalistic interviewers like Karan Thapar. In fact, Rajdeep Sardesai's recent interview by Karan Thapar for The Wire where the reputed journalist expressed his disillusionment with the Indian media establishment bears testimony to its downward spiral.

What is perhaps most worrying is that this unrelenting barrage of disinformation campaign from the other side of the border is not helping cool down temperatures. It is becoming increasingly worrisome for minorities in India as well as those in Bangladesh, sometimes to such an extent that governments are now having to grapple with the issues before they escalate further.

Tanim Ahmed is digital editor at The Daily Star.​

 

[Bilal9]

How Indian media distorted two interviews with the CA's press secretary

The interviews presented a good example of the typical Indian disinformation campaign.

www.thedailystar.net

How Indian media distorted two interviews with the CA's press secretary
Indian media disinformation campaign

View attachment 11494
VISUAL: SALMAN SAKIB SHAHRYAR

The India Today interview, aired on December 3, of Shafiqul Alam, the chief adviser's press secretary, is a fairly good example of the typical Indian disinformation campaign.

The tone is set right at the beginning when the presenter introduces Shafiqul saying, "…now listen in to how, in fact, this Yunus-government insider actually denies Hindu hate" as if that has already been established.

Gaurav Sawant begins by saying that the reports from Bangladesh suggest the situation is rather "grim" for Hindus and minorities in Bangladesh and proceeds to ask Shafiqul, what the government is doing to make Hindus and other minorities feel secure "amid reports that there is a sharp rise in attacks on them." There is no substantiation of the "grim" situation or the "sharp rise," however, as if it is already established.

Shafiqul begins by saying there is an industrial scale misinformation coming out of India and the situation here for Hindus, or other minorities, is not as bad as is being made.

By the time Gaurav Sawant comes back with the question, the screen starts showing a photo of Ramen Roy and another of former ISKCON monk, Chinmoy Krishna Das, with subtitles reading Ramen Roy, Chinmoy Prabhu's lawyer, allegedly attacked by Islamists. This is where another layer of disinformation begins.

Ramen Roy is a Supreme Court lawyer who was attacked in Shahbagh on November 25 during a protest by ISKCON supporters. He slipped into a coma for lack of medical attention. A grave misfortune, no doubt, and rather deplorable incident. But the man was by no means Chinmoy's lawyer. In all likelihood, Ramen Roy was caught in a scuffle and the police must find the perpetrators of this senseless violence and ensure justice for the lawyer. As for Chinmoy himself, the monk had to leave (or was let go) ISKCON under very dubious circumstances with grave allegations levelled against him.

Gaurav Sawant then goes on to say, "The manner in which Hindu temples are being burnt, professors are being sacked, police personnel are being sacked…your attorney general is calling ISKCON fundamentalist but Hefazat-e-Islam and Jamaat-e-Islami, they seem to be ruling the roost in Bangladesh…it just seems a little odd for a country like Bangladesh where India had played a very critical role in the freedom of Bangladesh from Pakistan and it just seems to be becoming another Pakistan." To that, Shafiqul repeated that India was flooded with an industrial scale misinformation campaign and asked Gaurav to send his team to Bangladesh.

The line of questioning brings in too many elements into play which makes it difficult to address the actual question at hand because of the need to set the premise straight—that the fundamentalist Islamists are not ruling the roost. No one from Bangladesh challenges Indian government about why RSS is ruling the roost there. It is a question for the Indians and their journalists to ask but not for outsiders. What the Indian media establishment refuses to accept or acknowledge is that they have a party in power for the last 10 years that aspires to establish a Hindu Rashtra, a Hindu state, which is almost similar to what the Jamaat-e-Islami aspires for—an Islamic state. Also, just because India helped Bangladesh does not mean Bangladesh is a vassal state.

The presenter suggested that hundreds of temples are burning as he speaks, while frenzied mullahs are forcing Hindu teachers and police officers to resign. It is not that it has not happened. It has. But police officers and teachers were made to resign for their political affiliations, not because they were Hindus, there were Muslims too. In fact, if one were to enumerate them, Muslims would perhaps outnumber Hindus by four to one. It was political retribution. That was also the same case with Munni Saha, which Shafiqul explains as another case of political reprisal, and not a case of religious persecution. There were some temples vandalised in August while in Chattogram, one temple was stoned and its glass door broke down.

But Shafiqul does not get the opportunity to point this out as Gaurav Sawant has begun talking at his interviewee almost goading him, instead of talking to him. Shafiq implores to let him finish before the host begins to shout over him. The interview soon breaks down where both are talking at the same time and it seems to the audience that a government official has been exposed.

In another interview with NDTV (this one with Shafiqul as well, aired on December 4), the anchor points out that the government has not arrested the violence on minorities "given the fact that some of the videos and photos and commentary that's been coming in are actually attacks on minorities that continue unabated." Again, none of this is established or attributed directly. But the question is premised in such a manner that the unabated violence is a universally acknowledged truth.

Shafiqul acknowledges that there were indeed some violence and says there were isolated incidents. While this host continues in a more civil manner, the footage on screen turns aggressive. It shows absolute mayhem in several places, where thugs are beating up young women on the streets, mobs are chasing away police patrol and vandalising a police pickup van. Anyone would agree that the situation was completely out of control in Bangladesh and Hindus were indeed in grave danger. Except, most of the clips are from July and August where Chhatra League goons were beating up protesters, or where protesters were chasing away policemen and trying to vandalise their cars. Thus, through Shafiqul's insistence that the situation is stable, he comes off as brazenly misrepresenting facts.

Rumor Scanner, a factchecking outfit in Dhaka reported on December 6 that as many as 49 Indian news outlets published 13 fake news items on Bangladesh over the four months that the interim government has been in power. The outlets include reputable ones like Live Mint, India Today, Hindustan Times and The Print.

This selective choice of half-truths and exaggerating them with meticulous manipulation is repeated so much, especially on social media platforms and television stations, that they have unfortunately come to define the Indian media. There are of course some credible outlets like The Hindu and tough, but journalistic interviewers like Karan Thapar. In fact, Rajdeep Sardesai's recent interview by Karan Thapar for The Wire where the reputed journalist expressed his disillusionment with the Indian media establishment bears testimony to its downward spiral.

What is perhaps most worrying is that this unrelenting barrage of disinformation campaign from the other side of the border is not helping cool down temperatures. It is becoming increasingly worrisome for minorities in India as well as those in Bangladesh, sometimes to such an extent that governments are now having to grapple with the issues before they escalate further.

Tanim Ahmed is digital editor at The Daily Star.​

I don't think Bangladeshi politicians or anyone in the present govt. should take the bait of appearing in interviews with any Godi media outlet. This is Godi Media's attempt to legitimize and add credibility to their garbage misinformation campaigns. Only helps their evil cause of creating Hindu-Muslim divide and riots in Bangladesh. They are up to no good.

Bangladeshis are utterly stupid, especially those in govt. and politics. Fast-talker Godi media people will have them for lunch, twisting their words on camera - live. You can't talk about facts.

I have watched some of these interviews and one was with Andaleeve Rahman of Jatiya Party. What a dismal interview - and this guy is apparently a Lincoln's Inn British-educated barrister. He could not get a word in sideways with the screaming lady host. Almost all of these Godi media people are liars and screamers.

Boycott Godi Media interviews shown on television and YouTube - in fact Bangladesh should ban all Indian media in general. All they do is create misinformation and spread confusion in general populace in Bangladesh when they get any chance.