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

[Saif]

Date of Event: Nov 23, 2024

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49L7qaNg1cA&t=2s

India should quit spreading lies about Bangladesh.

 

[Saif]

Indian media, responsible persons join the fray of spreading communal disinformation about Bangladesh

Some mainstream media of India and responsible persons are also spreading rumors on communal attacks in Bangladesh, reveals a report of Rumor Scanner, a fact checking website based in Bangladesh

en.prothomalo.com

Indian media, responsible persons join the fray of spreading communal disinformation about Bangladesh
From 5 to 13 August, posts shared by those 50 accounts were viewed over 154 million times. Rumor Scanner revealed that 72 per cent of the accounts spreading fake and misleading information claimed to be based in India

Staff Correspondent Dhaka
Published: 18 Aug 2024, 18: 53

Some mainstream media of India and responsible persons are also spreading rumors on communal attacks in Bangladesh, reveals a report of Rumor Scanner, a fact checking website based in Bangladesh.

Rumor Scanner’s Investigation Unit has identified 50 accounts on X that have been actively spreading communal narratives by sharing images, videos, and information related to recent events in Bangladesh.

At least one post from each of these accounts has been found to promote communal misinformation and disinformation, reports Rumor Scanner in a study titled ‘Surge of Communal Misinformation on X During Bangladesh’s Political Crisis’.

From 5 to 13 August, posts shared by those 50 accounts were viewed over 154 million times. Rumor Scanner revealed that 72 per cent of the accounts spreading fake and misleading information claimed to be based in India. Among the account holders are several responsible individuals, and even mainstream media outlets in India that have propagated some of this false information.

A video was posted on 9 August from an X handle named Deepak Sharma which claims Jihadists have killed hundreds of women by exploding bombs at a camp of Hindu women and children. Checking the video, Rumor Scanner finds it to be one from the death of five people in electrocution during Jagannath Dev’s Rath Yatra on 7 July.

A video falsely claiming to show a Hindu man demanding the whereabouts of his missing son was shared by at least three mainstream Indian media outlets on their X handle, Asian News International (ANI), NDTV, and Mirror Now.

These accounts receive significant engagement from their followers when they post communal misinformation. Many are sharing this misinformation on X to boost their engagement or retweet numbers--Indian fact-checker Ankita Deshkar

However, Rumor Scanner found that the man in question is Muslim named Babul Howlader, who has been seeking information about his missing son since 2013 and participated in a protest for this cause.

Rumor Scanner also found that several other Indian media outlets and individuals associated with them were involved in spreading similar communal misinformation. This list includes X accounts from Zee News Madhya Pradesh and News 24.

The Rumor Scanner investigation unit also found that Op India’s editor-in-chief Nupur J Sharma routinely spread fake news from her X handle.
After one of her posts was identified as false and flagged by a Rumor Scanner team member on 11 August, she responded by blocking that particular member on X.

Rumor Scanner asked Indian fact-checker Ankita Deshkar why there has been an increase in communal propaganda in India recently. Ankita explained, “These accounts receive significant engagement from their followers when they post communal misinformation. Many are sharing this misinformation on X to boost their engagement or retweet numbers.”

Spreading of communal misinformation is just not limited to India, responsible individuals from various other countries also joined the fray.

Former Pakistani cricketer Danish Kaneria shared a video on his X account falsely claiming that cricketer Liton Das’s house had been set on fire. In reality, the footage was from an arson attack on Mashrafe’s house, and no such incident occurred at Liton’s residence.

Salwan Momika, an Iraqi-born man who has repeatedly caused controversy by publicly burning the Quran, has been found to regularly spread communal misinformation involving Bangladesh through his X account.

Of the 50 accounts examined in this research of Rumor Scanner, 13 posts contained similar instances where unrelated events were given a communal twist. The most prevalent form of misinformation involved misrepresenting Muslim individuals as Hindus.

Other forms of misinformation included repurposing old videos from unrelated incidents, falsely attributing attacks on Muslim establishments to Hindu establishments, misrepresenting arson attacks on different sites as attacks on Hindu properties, distorting political slogans, fabricating statements, creating fake Telegram accounts in the name of the BNP, and making false claims about the number of Hindu casualties.

In 80 per cent of the cases (40 posts), video footage was used to spread misinformation. In 16 per cent of cases, images and screenshots were used, while the remaining 4 per cent consisted of text-only posts.​

 

[Saif]

Videos of quota reform movement shared with false communal twist

Alongside real events, misinformation has been spreading widely on social media. Numerous posts on X contain false claims, sharing footage of unrelated or old incidents.

en.prothomalo.com

Videos of quota reform movement shared with false communal twist
Updated: 18 Aug 2024, 12: 48

Two videos taken during the quota reform movement in Bangladesh have been circulating on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) with a false communal twist. The first video is captioned with a claim that a Hindu woman is crying because she has been told to either convert or leave the country. However, upon verification, it was revealed that the woman in the video is not Hindu but actually Bangladeshi actress Azmeri Haque Badhan.

Another video claims that Hindu women in Bangladesh are carrying chili powder to protect themselves from Muslims. This claim was also proven false; the women in the video were actually using water mixed with chili powder for their own safety during an anti-government protest.

Screenshot of the post spreading false claim on X (left); Screenshot of the actual video report (right)

Screenshot of the post spreading false claim on X (left); Screenshot of the actual video report (right)dismislab

In a video posted on 12 August from a verified personal account on X, actress Badhan is falsely linked to a statement. The caption reads, “Video from Bangladesh. Hindu Women crying as they are saying either convert or leave Bangladesh. Where will they go away from their own homes. World, can you hear & feel her pain?” However, in the video, the woman is actually heard saying, “Because this country is mine. We will also reform the country.” The video has garnered around 70,000 views so far.

To verify the video, Dismislab conducted a reverse image search online. This led to a video report on the YouTube channel Dainik Desh Bartaman, uploaded on 1 August, titled, “I have no passport from any other country: Actress Badhon II Azmeri Haque Badhon.”

On that day, various directors, actors, and artists had gathered at Farmgate in the capital to stand in solidarity with the students. The speech by actress Badhan in the video is an exact match with her words from that event. This shows that Badhan’s speech has been misrepresented and is now being spread as a statement from Hindu women.

In another video, several women are seen holding bottles filled with red-colored liquid, which they claim is water mixed with chili powder. According to Google’s automatic translation of the Hindi caption, it reads: “Now our sisters in Bangladesh are protecting themselves from the illegitimate children of Islamic Mughals by keeping chili powder.”

Dismislab verified that this claim is also false. The women in the video discussing water mixed with chili powder are actually students protesting for quota reforms. None of them did this to protect themselves from Muslims. A search on Facebook revealed a related reel that was uploaded on 16 July.

An online report from Daily Jugantor is also available on the incident. The feature image used in the report is an exact match to the video footage shared on X. According to the report published on 16 July, some students of Dhaka University (DU) participated in the quota movement with chili powder mixed with water in their hands for self-defense. This means the women in the video are holding chili spray, not to escape from Muslims, but to defend themselves during the movement.

Amid the ongoing quota reform movement, Sheikh Hasina reportedly left her position as Prime Minister and fled to India on 5 August. Since then, unrest has been reported in various parts of the country, including attacks on religious minorities. During this time, alongside real events, misinformation has been spreading widely on social media. Numerous posts on X contain false claims, sharing footage of unrelated or old incidents. Dismislab has previously published several detailed reports (1, 2, 3) addressing these issues.​

 

[Saif]

How online disinformation fuels religious, ethnic and sociopolitical tensions during Bangladesh’s regime change

analysis examines a sample of 179 pieces of debunked mis- and disinformation between 15th July and 9th August based on data provided by six fact-checking organizations to find key patterns,

en.prothomalo.com

How online disinformation fuels religious, ethnic and sociopolitical tensions during Bangladesh’s regime change
Updated: 17 Aug 2024, 17: 18

The month-long student-led mass movement that led to the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was marred not only with violence, but also a surge in mis- and disinformation. Historically, the country’s former ruling party, the Awami League, has been reportedly involved with spreading false information, however, during this period, and since the prime minister’s ouster, there has been a marked increase in misleading information and propaganda from neighboring country, India.

Our analysis examines a sample of 179 pieces of debunked mis- and disinformation between 15th July and 9th August based on data provided by six fact-checking organizations to find key patterns, the degree of coordinated activities, and the sources and incentives behind them. We review false news on three social media platforms: Facebook, YouTube and X. While Facebook’s parent company, Meta, has several accredited fact-checkers in Bangladesh (AFP, FactWatch and Boom), YouTube and X do not have a similar fact-checking program.

The prime minister’s resignation has been followed by a continuing period of instability and violence, the brunt of which was borne by minority communities through targeted attacks, killings and vandalism of houses and places of worship. Ahmadiyya mosques, Hindu temples and churches, among others, were targeted by arsonists and armed vandalizers in 205 attacks in at least 52 districts across the country. In Dhaka, the country’s capital, witnessed a sharp rise in armed robberies. In response, clerics, students, and residents of different areas have gathered in front of minority-owned establishments in several places and initiated community neighborhood watch.

Mis- and disinformation targeting diaspora Bangladeshis were on the rise during Internet blackouts
Bangladesh experienced a state-sanctioned nationwide Internet shutdown between July 18th and July 23rd that resulted in throttling of mobile data from 4G to 2G, blocking of fixed-line Internet, and blocking of major social media and messaging platforms, as well as a de facto media blackout. Although fixed-line Internet was restored on July 23rd, mobile data, social media and messaging platforms remained blocked for several days. Users in Bangladesh were accessing blocked platforms using VPN, and were exposed to a slew of disinformation about the ground situation, largely aimed at exacerbating confusion.

Despite Facebook remaining blocked between July 23rd and July 30th, based on analysis using data from Meta Ad Library, at least US $33,992 was spent on 1,986 politically-motivated advertisements, of which 97 percent were pro-government and aimed at blaming the opposition and “third parties” for violence during the student-led protests, despite media reports showing police brutality against students. Majority of the pages were traced back to Bangladesh, confirming that the admins were accessing VPN to run ads.

Over 70 percent mis- and disinformation were debunked as completely false, and are spread using photos
We analyzed 179 pieces of content debunked by six fact-checking organizations between 15th July and 9th August. Out of the debunked content, 126 (70.4 per cent) were rated False, 41 (22.9 per cent) were rated Missing Context, 10 (5.6 per cent) were rated Altered and 2 (1.1 per cent) were rated as Partly False. A False rating indicates content that are entirely non-factual, or rumors, while Missing Context, Altered or Partly False are typically content that has some missing information, such as dates, numbers, or events, or a mix of true and false interpretations of something that has happened. Altered content would imply fake, or manipulated video, audio or visual content that has been modified using basic editing or AI tools and includes materials that were not conveyed by the subjects portrayed in the content.

Given low-literacy users, majority of mis- and disinformation is shared using photos, videos and photo cards.

Majority of mis- and disinformation spread false narratives to undermine the student-led movement.

Rumors of death and rape are common during protests and social movements globally, fueled by widespread agitation and media sensationalism, and can significantly impact the dynamics of a protest and perceptions. In our analysis, we found 36 rumors related to the death and rape of student protesters, for example:
​

• Twenty-seven female students allegedly raped during the quota reform protests​
• ​
• 100 dead bodies were found​
• ​
• Mass graves at Shangshad Bhaban​

While most rumors claimed death of protesters, a handful of members of the Chhatra League, politicians, and police, were also targeted with death hoaxes. There were also several contents claiming the death of former prime ministers Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia.

Of note, a photo card falsely bearing the logo of Prothom Alo, the country’s largest national daily, went viral claiming 1,700 people have been killed during the student movement. Using logos of prominent media outlets to spread disinformation is a common tactic in Bangladesh and exacerbates confusion among the public, as seen in the examples below:

Our analysis finds at least 16 per cent of disinformation is shared using photo cards falsely bearing logos of popular mainstream media, such as Prothom Alo, Somoy TV, Independent TV, Jamuna TV, Channel 24, The Business Standards, and others.

In addition to death hoaxes, discrediting individual protestors was observed as a tactic to strategically question the credibility of the movement, and deflecting attention from the core issues. Some examples are:
​

• Students were caught with weapon, drugs and money​
• Jamaat-Shibir joining the movement with weapons, including circulation of old or unrelated videos arms being given to students by Chhatra Shibir​
• Unverifiable claims about sexual harassment by protesters on their female counterparts​

Further, after the regime fell on August 5, a concerted disinformation campaign claiming that Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus (who now is the chief advisor of the interim government) had donated BDT 5,000 through bKash to everyone during the movement.

Coordinated disinformation about communal violence in Bangladesh surged on social media after the prime minister’s resignation

Although there has been widespread violence against minorities in Bangladesh, and vandalism of places of worship and homes, leading to at least 232 reported deaths, there has also been a concerted effort by Bangladesh social media pages and Indian right-wing mainstream and social media to spread panic and exaggerate the types of attacks or its scale. These content uses old videos from a different event in the past, or modifies an existing video or photo using basic editing tools to portray scenes of anarchy and violent deaths of Hindu minorities. Some examples include:
​

• Rumors about abduction of Hindu women​
• Muslim women tying up Hindu women to torture​
• A Hindu cricketer’s house being set on fire​
• Video of a restaurant fire claimed to be temple arson​
• Sharing India’s old case of gang rape as the incident of a Hindu girl in Bangladesh​
• Republishing the old incidents of temple attacks as recent events​
• Sharing old videos of Muslim families and Awami League leader lynched in Bangladesh​
• Sharing old photographs of Rabindranath Tagore’s damaged sculpture fake​
• Altered videos of attacks on Hindu hostel in Dhaka, claiming it was done by Jamaat​
• Outdated videos of a brutal murder from Andhra Pradesh, claiming it to be violence in Bangladesh​

These contents were cross-posted on Facebook, YouTube and X, largely targeting diaspora Bangladeshis, Indians, and the broader international community using hashtags such as SaveBangladeshiHindus, and in a coordinated manner. The narrative is consistent with the goal to portray Bangladesh as a failed state after the regime change, and the content is shared by both authentic and a network of bot accounts.

We zoomed in to analyze over 100 debunked claims on X between Aug 5th and Aug 10th to identify key categories of foreign disinformation to fuel communal tensions, largely originating from accounts that self-identify their location in India. The charts below highlights disaggregation of foreign disinformation based on volume of content and engagement metrics.

Bangladesh has had a history of anti-Hindu attacks during and prior the Awami League government’s ouster in early August, therefore, the present disinformation campaign specifically aims at establishing that Hindus, Ahmaddiyas, and other minority religious factions are disproportionately unsafe in post- Awami League Bangladesh.​

 

[Saif]

The Indian media and Bangladesh-India relations

The bilateral relationship must be based on a "win-win" policy, rooted in mutual respect, non-hegemony, and the pursuit of shared prosperity and deeper understanding.

www.thedailystar.net

The Indian media and Bangladesh-India relations
There cannot be a stable relationship without deeper understanding

VISUAL: SALMAN SAKIB SHAHRYAR

As Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus stated, "The Bangladesh-India relationship is deep and multifaceted. We can have our differences but that cannot define it." We have said this many times before and reiterate now that our bilateral relationship must be based on a "win-win" policy, rooted in mutual respect, non-hegemony, and the pursuit of shared prosperity and deeper understanding. In my early days as the editor of The Daily Star, I wrote, "For India, there are only two neighbours—China and Pakistan. The rest of us are geographic entities to be praised, cajoled, reprimanded and even punished as the situation would call for."

Sheikh Hasina's last tenure in power (2009-mid 2024) appears to have been a period of "praise." However, after the student-led people's uprising toppled her regime, a powerful section of the Indian media has shifted into the "reprimand" mode, with some even suggesting "punishment." Much of the social media discourse seems to support this.

Let me start with my unequivocal position that oppression of minorities anywhere in the world, including in my own country, must be condemned and speedily resolved. It should never recur. Communal conflict has been an age-old phenomenon in South Asia following the British colonial policy of "Divide and Rule." It is a regrettable fact that, after 77 years of the departure of the British, we have still not been able to solve it.

After the regime change in Bangladesh, the Indian media's coverage of events can, in my view, be categorised as follows: 1) the events that toppled Sheikh Hasina was the work of Pakistan's ISI, the Islamists in Bangladesh, or pro-Chinese elements all aimed to replace the "India-friendly" government with an "India-unfriendly" government. There is no mention of the role of common people or of the students—of the killing of ordinary people, etc. Where is the evidence of foreign hand? What is the source of all these assertions? And yet, the vilification goes on unabated; 2) the new government is bent on persecuting Hindus and even committing "genocide," according to some. Many of these stories were debunked by fact-checkers, including the BBC. But that did not stop or even slow down the tirade of stories demonising us; and 3) the US's involvement was also referred to and was linked with the events in Pakistan—as in after toppling Imran Khan, the US toppled Sheikh Hasina.

Even three months later, there has been no substantial coverage of the atrocities inflicted on students and civilians. The Sheikh Hasina government even resorted to firing on demonstrators using helicopters—an act of shocking cruelty. In a prompt action, the interim government fast-tracked the issuance of visas for journalists. However, the Indian journalists who visited Bangladesh focused solely on the attacks on Hindus, ignoring the broader human rights abuses by the Hasina government, thereby greatly affecting their credibility to Bangladeshi readers.

In terms of covering the events of the July-August uprising by the Indian media, the following observations are striking:

1) The Indian media largely ignored the massive student-led people's movement, which saw millions take to the streets in Dhaka, Chattogram, Rajshahi, Sylhet, Bogura and Khulna. Their focus remained almost exclusively on the sporadic violence against Hindus during the power vacuum in the first week of the transition.

2) The brutal firing on unarmed demonstrators, resulting in at least 700 deaths by August 5, was barely covered. This represents one of the most barbaric crackdowns in the recent history of South Asia, yet the Indian media gave it little attention. In the six interviews I gave to mainstream Indian outlets, there was almost no mention of the scale of the uprising or the civilian deaths, only the vandalism of symbols like Bangabandhu's statue or the burning of government properties.

3) Even three months later, there has been no substantial coverage of the atrocities inflicted on students and civilians. The Sheikh Hasina government even resorted to firing on demonstrators using helicopters—an act of shocking cruelty. In a prompt action, the interim government fast-tracked the issuance of visas for journalists. However, the Indian journalists who visited Bangladesh focused solely on the attacks on Hindus, ignoring the broader human rights abuses by the Hasina government, thereby greatly affecting their credibility to Bangladeshi readers.

4) The Indian media's coverage appears to be driven by concern solely for Hindus of Bangladesh, rather than the people of Bangladesh. Will that foster a healthy relationship between our two countries? I have said previously and I repeat it now that India should not see the recent events through the lens of Sheikh Hasina but through the lens of democracy.

5) In a recent video broadcast by the well-regarded news portal ThePrint, Meenakshi Lekhi, a BJP leader and lawyer, said, "The chief adviser… is seeking to rename the nation [Bangladesh] to be [the] Islamic republic of East Pakistan." Where did she get that from? What is the source of her claim? Her column was filled with distortions and misinformation. When recounting Sheikh Hasina's grand success, she omitted critical facts like the rigging of the 2014, 2018 and 2024 general elections—the core reason for voters' outrage with her regime.

Along with my team at The Daily Star, I studied 56 news items appearing in the Indian media—both legacy and online—between July 9 and November 20. Except for a handful, most could be categorised as "views reports" and not "news reports," with headings like: "To avoid election Yunus is using the excuse of reforms"; "Politics of revenge – 13 including ministers on trial"; "Will democracy at all return to Bangladesh?"; "China, ISI behind escalation of student-led protests in Bangladesh"; and "ISI conspiracy to topple Sk. Hasina and establish anti-India govt," among others. Some TV news even called it an "Islamist takeover." There were hardly any attempts to take a serious look at the events in Bangladesh.

If we analyse the sourcing of the news, the presentation, the headlines, and the language used in reporting, it becomes clear that it was directed at creating an impression that Hindus were not generally safe here, so that a deep hatred is generated against Bangladesh among the Indian population.

It is my conclusion that the mindset of the Indian media—and also that of a section of political leadership—is dominated by two strains of thoughts: 1) a fundamental disrespect for our intellectual ability; and 2) Islamophobia.

As for the first, Indian media coverage clearly implies that we, as a people, are incapable of determining our future. It is the Pakistanis, Chinese or the Americans—not to name the Indians, which they don't, of course, mention—that must tell us what to do. This mindset is insulting to a nation that has fought against Pakistani cultural, economic and military oppression, and that has defeated them in an armed struggle—albeit with Indian help. It is insulting to a people who have dismantled BAKSAL imposed by the post-liberation Awami League government, defeated the autocratic rule of Gen HM Ershad, and who have now toppled what appeared to be an invincible regime of Sheikh Hasina. This mindset shows the disdain of the Indian media towards us, and that of some political leaders, one of whom compared us with termites.

The second issue is the Indian media's Islamophobia and their total misunderstanding of the deep roots of Islam in the Muslim Bangalee psyche. People going to mosques, wearing Islamic headgear, keeping beards, using Islamic salutations, or referring to the Quran as a part of daily life are portrayed as extremists and terrorists in their eyes.

I wonder why they don't learn from their own backyard. If the revival and strengthening of Hindu religious practices, building more temples, enshrining Hindu cultural traits, and becoming more practising Hindus are part of the present-day Indian ethos, then why should we, the Bangladeshis, becoming more Muslim make us extremists? If mass-based groups like the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, the Bajrang Dal, and the RSS can propagate the Hindu religion, and if a political party like the BJP, whose aim is to establish Hindutva in India, can get elected three times, then why does the reappearance of Islamic groups make us a fundamentalist country?

The Indian media and leadership must open their hearts and minds, dig deep into the cultural and religious heritage of Muslim Bengal, and try to embrace us as we are, rather than define us as they would like us to be. What the Indian people decide is the India we must accept, just as what the people of Bangladesh decide we are, India must accept. That is the only way a durable Bangladesh-India relationship can be built. The lesson for India is that regime-based relationships must be replaced by people-based relationships. For that to happen, we must understand each other better, with sincerity and respect.

Mahfuz Anam is the editor and publisher of The Daily Star.​

 

[Bilal9]

Hindu Puja devotees talk about Bangladeshi identity and the fake propaganda of Hindu oppression. Bengali only.

 

[Saif]

Fight Indian media’s misformation campaign with truth: CA’s Press Secretary

Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam has encouraged more journalists including woman reporters and editors to talk to the Indian media to confront misinformation campaign coming from some of the Indian media outlets and their social media platforms. “We must tell our stories o

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Fight Indian media’s misformation campaign with truth: CA’s Press Secretary
UNB
Published :
Nov 29, 2024 16:41
Updated :
Nov 29, 2024 16:41

Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam has encouraged more journalists including woman reporters and editors to talk to the Indian media to confront misinformation campaign coming from some of the Indian media outlets and their social media platforms.

“We must tell our stories our way. Else, they will set our narrative according to their liking,” he said, highlighting the importance of getting empowered by the truth to fight against misinformation campaign.

Alam, in Facebook post from his verified account, said Indians should know that smarter people also live in its Eastern border and a few months back these people have ousted a “brutal dictatorship” in one of the finest revolutions in human history.

The press secretary said he is happy to see some of the journalist friends are speaking to the Indian media, especially their cacophonous TV stations.

“Many of us were afraid that we would struggle against the verbal onslaught of their TV hosts,” Alam observed.

He said some have defied fears and they are “boldly telling our side of the story.”

Alam said they have realised that it is time to confront an “industrial scale misinformation campaign” coming from some of the Indian media outlets and their social media platforms.

The press secretary said he knows they will make mistakes and they will also be intimidated.

“Some may get the impression that the Indians are smarter people. But believe me if you are empowered by truth, no misinformation campaign can stop you,” Alam said.​

 

[Saif]

Foreign Advisor Touhid calls out Indian media for ‘hindering’ bilateral ties

Foreign Affairs Advisor Touhid Hossain has flagged the Indian media’s ‘sudden hostility’ towards Bangladesh as an ‘obstacle’ to establishing normal relations between the neighbouring countries. Speaking at a discussion on ‘Bangladesh-India Relations’ at a

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Foreign Advisor Touhid calls out Indian media for ‘hindering’ bilateral ties
bdnews24.com
Published :
Nov 30, 2024 16:35
Updated :
Nov 30, 2024 23:46

Foreign Affairs Advisor Touhid Hossain has flagged the Indian media’s ‘sudden hostility’ towards Bangladesh as an ‘obstacle’ to establishing normal relations between the neighbouring countries.

Speaking at a discussion on ‘Bangladesh-India Relations’ at a private university in Dhaka on Saturday, Touhid said, “Indian media has become extremely aggressive. I have said this clearly and openly. I have mentioned it in various statements even after assuming this position.”

On the Indian media’s ‘unhelpful’ impact on bilateral relations, he added, “It’s an obstacle. Only they know why they’re doing this.”

Touhid also urged the Bangladeshi media to play an active role in countering the ‘falsehoods’ spread by their Indian counterparts. “I’m not saying [our media should] mimic the Indian media. We don’t want that kind of reaction. But we should highlight the false narratives being spread.

“Fact-checking has proved that many of their claims are completely false. I believe our media can raise these issues more forcefully and provide more coverage. When the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issues a statement, it should be on the front page, not buried inside the paper.”

The advisor further urged India to reconsider its stance on border killings, saying, “I have always been firm on the issue of border killings. When I met with Indian officials face-to-face, I told them this is absolutely unacceptable.”

“This is the only border in the world where two countries are not at war, yet people are being shot and killed. This situation doesn’t exist anywhere else.”

He continued: “I have travelled to many countries and crossed numerous borders by land, bus, and car, but there is no environment like this. India must address this issue. It is a major barrier. However, it can be easily resolved.”

Touhid emphasised the importance of national unity in driving the country forward. “The biggest issue we face is national unity. I have worked in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for 33 years, from the lowest level to the highest position. Even in the 11 years after my retirement, I have remained involved in various issues. Many times, I’ve felt that we’re falling behind because we lack national unity.”

“In many instances where we could have achieved more, we failed simply because we lacked national unity.”​