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

[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.

 

[Bilal9]

Bangladesh Hindu Pooja Udjapan Front has called for a fight against Indian domination and India's evil designs to sow religious discord after the ouster of Indian agent Hasina. Before the protest procession in front of the National Press Club, speakers said that no concessions will be made on the issue of independence-sovereignty. Rizvi wants unity of all religions to stop Delhi's hegemony and attempts at turning Bangladesh into a slavery entity.

 

[Saif]

CA advises Meta to act on campaign against BD

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus asks Meta, the parent company of Facebook, to address a "disinformation campaign" being orchestrated from certain countries to undermine the July-August mass uprising in Bangladesh. "There's a massive disinformation campaign, and we are the sufferers," he to

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

CA advises Meta to act on campaign against BD
FE REPORT
Published :
Dec 09, 2024 01:21
Updated :
Dec 09, 2024 01:21

Meta's Director for Human Rights Policy Miranda Sissons called on Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna in the capital on Sunday. — PID

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus asks Meta, the parent company of Facebook, to address a "disinformation campaign" being orchestrated from certain countries to undermine the July-August mass uprising in Bangladesh.

"There's a massive disinformation campaign, and we are the sufferers," he told Meta's director for human-rights policy, Miranda Sissons, when the latter called on the head of interim government at the State Guesthouse Jamuna in Dhaka.

Sissons explained to the Chief Adviser the human-rights policy of Meta, saying that they remained alert to prevent anyone from using their platforms to spread disinformation, said a spokesperson for the CA Office.

The Chief Adviser also asked Meta to make its technology more user-friendly for young entrepreneurs.

"Technology is a tool to make things happen. But technology doesn't decide what we want to do with things. So, we have to reengineer it to make it perfect," he said.

"With Facebook you have a tremendous amount of possibility. Facebook could be used to make young people entrepreneurs," said the Nobel-laureate microcredit pioneer.

Professor Yunus said the Bangladesh government would remain engaged with the Facebook for the benefit of the country's young population.

Lamiya Morshed, principal coordinator for SDG affairs, Shazeeb M Khairul Islam, Chief Adviser's personal secretary-2, Ruzan Sarwar, head of Meta's public policy for Bangladesh and Nepal, Nayantara Narayan, Associate General Counsel of Meta, Alice Budisatrijo, Meta's head of misinformation policy for the Asia-Pacific region, were among those present at the meeting.​