[🇧🇩] Disinformation/Misinformation in Indian Media on communal attacks in Bangladesh

[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.​

 

[Saif]

Video of cow beating in India falsely circulated as attack on ISKCON farm in Bangladesh

A video showing three to four individuals brutally attacking a bull has been widely circulated on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook in India, with claims that it depicts Muslims attacking a cow at an ISKCON farm in Bangladesh

en.prothomalo.com

Rumor Scanner report
Video of cow beating in India falsely circulated as attack on ISKCON farm in Bangladesh
Prothom Alo English Desk
Dhaka
Updated: 08 Dec 2024, 21: 41

A video showing three to four individuals brutally attacking a bull has been widely circulated on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook in India, with claims that it depicts Muslims attacking a cow at an ISKCON farm in Bangladesh.

An investigation by Rumor Scanner has confirmed that the claim of an attack on an ISKCON cow farm in Bangladesh is entirely false. The video, based on which the claim has been circulated on social media, is actually from Jalandhar, Punjab, India.

Rumor Scanner published the report on its website on Sunday.

The Rumor Scanner added some samples of X and Facebook posts where claims were made that the incident took place in Bangladesh.

A reverse image search on a keyframe from the viral video led Rumor Scanner to an Instagram post on 14 November 2024, by a user named ‘Vinay Kapoor3930’. According to the post’s caption, the video was filmed at Jamsher Dairy in Jalandhar, Punjab, India. The Hindi post reads, in google English translation: “In Jalandhar’s Jamsher Dairy, some people were beating a cow (bull) very brutally; as soon as we got the video, we reached the spot and complained about it to the police administration so that strict action could be taken against such culprits.”


Similarly, Rumor Scanner found another post on X (formerly Twitter) shared on 19 November, 2024, featuring the same video. In a response to the post, PETA India (an organization dedicated to the ethical treatment of animals) mentioned that an FIR had already been registered by the Sadar Police Station under Section 325 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act.

Rumor Scanner

Rumor Scanner also found a news report on a website named ‘Khabristanpunjabi’ on 27 November, which used snapshots of the viral video in its article’s feature image. According to this report, the incident in the video took place at a dairy farm in Jalandhar, Punjab.

A report by The Tribune on 20 November 2024 also corroborated the incident took place in Punjab and an organisation named Animal Protection Foundation filed a complaint condemning the incident in the viral video. Following the complaint, an FIR under Sections 325 of the BNS and 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, was registered at the Sadar Police Station.

Srisht Bhakshi, head of the Animal Protection Foundation in Jalandhar, who filed a complaint about the incident, told Factly (a fact-checking website in India) that the video shows a bull being brutally beaten by four men at Jamsher Dairy Complex in Jalandhar, Punjab.

Factly reported the police as saying, “In our preliminary investigation, the owner of the dairy farm claimed the video is nearly two years old. The people in the video attacked the bull because it had previously attacked one of the dairy farm workers.”

“To sum up, the video showing a cow being brutally beaten by 3-4 individuals is not from Bangladesh. The video is actually from India and depicts a brutal attack on a bull by unidentified dairy workers at a dairy farm in Jalandhar, Punjab, India. Hence, the claim that an ISKCON cow farm in Bangladesh was attacked by Muslims is false,” added Rumor Scanner.​

 

[Bilal9]

This is the back story on why Jamaat leaders recently visited the UK high commissioner and handed her a protest note about a UK MP sullying Jamaat's name. It is clear that British MPs are using Indian media misinformation as their sources.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The debate followed an urgent question by Labour MP Barry Gardiner on the situation. Gardiner said there had been more than 2,000 incidents of violence since Aug, mostly targeted against Hindus, and the protections for minority religions guaranteed under Bangladesh’s Constitution “appeared to not be being enforced”.

The Economic Times
Hindus in Bangladesh: UK parliament raises concerns on attacks on minorities, calls for intervention

“There are reports of police and army standing by, as more than 20 places of minority Hindu and Sufi worship were vandalised and their worshippers attacked,” he said. “This came to a head on Friday, when extremist groups from the Jamaat-e-Islami party attacked two Hindu temples in Chittagong and conducted a campaign of orchestrated violence against the Hindu population. The situation is clearly on a knife edge.”

MSN

Jamaat-e-Islami leaders protested a British MP's ‘misleading’ remarks and discussed bilateral relations
https://www.dhakatribune.com/367550


Photo: Bangla Tribune

Publish : 08 Dec 2024, 11:55 PM
Update : 08 Dec 2024, 11:55 PM

A Jamaat-e-Islami delegation, led by Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman, paid a courtesy call on British High Commissioner Sarah Cooke at her residence in Dhaka on Sunday.

According to Jamaat sources, the visit was prompted by remarks made by a member of the British Parliament about Bangladesh and the Jamaat-e-Islami, which the party deemed "misleading and false."

During the meeting, the Jamaat leaders handed the high commissioner a formal protest note addressing the parliamentarian's comments.

Jamaat said the meeting was conducted in a cordial and amicable atmosphere. It added that both sides expressed optimism about the strengthening of bilateral relations and highlighted expectations for the continued development and progress of Bangladesh.

The Jamaat delegation also included Nayeb-e-Ameer Dr Syeed Abdullah Muhammad Taher and Secretary General Mian Golam Parwar.

 

[Bilal9]

Yunus urges Meta (Facebook) to address 'disinformation campaign' against Bangladesh​

Meta Director Miranda Sissons (L) holds a meeting with Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna in Dhaka on Sunday, December 8, 2024. X - @ChiefAdviserGoB© Copyright (C) https://firstpost.com. All Rights Reserved.

Bangladesh's Interim Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus on Sunday asked Meta, the parent company of Facebook, to deal with what he called a "disinformation campaign" against the current political climate in Bangladesh. Yunus held talks with Miranda Sissons, Meta’s director for human rights policy at the State Guest House Jamuna.


“There is a massive disinformation campaign, and we are the sufferers,” the Bangladeshi Nobel laureate averred. In response to the concern, Sissons explained to the chief adviser Meta's human rights policy. He assured Yunus that people will remain alert to prevent anyone from using its platforms to spread disinformation.

Yunus calls for the accessibility of technology​

Yunus also urged Meta to make its technology more "user friendly" for young entrepreneurs. “Technology is a tool to make things happen. But technology does not 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,” Yunus added. The chief advisor maintained that the government of Bangladesh would remain engaged with Facebook for the "benefit of the country's young population.


According to The Dhaka Tribune, several other senior government and Meta officials were present at the meeting. In the past, Bangladesh has rejected instances of vandalism on communal lines by calling them distorted truth or fake news. Earlier, Bangladesh media went on to accuse India of "overreacting" when many in the neighboring nation raised concerns about the plight of minorities.

 

[Saif]

Debunking viral lies: What’s really happening in Bangladesh?

On today's episode of Star Explains, we are breaking down some recent cases of fake news and propaganda about Bangladesh and uncovering the real stories behind the misleading claims

www.thedailystar.net

Debunking viral lies: What’s really happening in Bangladesh?

Since August 2024, a wave of misinformation about Bangladesh has spread on Indian social media, largely following the political instability after Sheikh Hasina's departure. False claims have portrayed religious persecution of Hindus, exaggerating or fabricating incidents such as attacks on Hindu temples or violence by Muslims.

These narratives have been amplified by Indian media, influencers, and political figures, distorting the situation in Bangladesh. Despite a lack of evidence, these misrepresentations are gaining international traction, fueling cross-border tensions.

On today's episode of Star Explains, we are breaking down some recent cases of fake news and propaganda about Bangladesh and uncovering the real stories behind the misleading claims.​

 

[Saif]

Debunking Viral Lies: What’s Really Happening in Bangladesh?

 

[Saif]

Politics of Indian propaganda regarding Bangladesh

Indian news outlets and social media platforms have been spreading various types of disinformation about the persecution of religious minorities in Bangladesh.

www.thedailystar.net

Politics of Indian propaganda regarding Bangladesh

In 2016, religious zealots physically assaulted over 100 people and vandalised and looted over 100 homes and 17 temples of the Hindu community in Nasirnagar, Brahmanbaria. FILE PHOTO: AMRAN HOSSAIN

Ever since the fall of the Bangladeshi dictator Sheikh Hasina in the student-citizen uprising of July-August, Indian news outlets and social media platforms have been spreading various types of disinformation about the persecution of religious minorities in Bangladesh. The disinformation includes portraying attacks on Awami League (AL) leaders as attacks on Hindus, arson attacks on AL offices as burning of temples, spreading images of past attacks or fires as images of recent events etc.

According to an investigation by Rumor Scanner, a Bangladeshi fact-checking organisation, as many as 49 Indian media outlets spread at least 13 false reports about Bangladesh between August 12 and December 5, 2024. Out of this, Republic Bangla has propagated a maximum of 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 broadcasted two false reports. The remaining 41 media outlets spread one false report each.

The rumours spread by these Indian media, according to Rumor Scanner, 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.

The political motive behind Indian propaganda on the allegations of minority persecution in Bangladesh can be understood by looking at the statistics of attacks on minorities during the previous Awami League government led by Sheikh Hasina. As many as 3,679 attacks on the Hindu community took place in the nine years, between January 2013 and September 2021, according to a compilation of data from the annual reports of the human-rights organisation Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) during that period. The attacks included vandalism and setting fire to 559 houses and 442 shops and businesses of the Hindu community. At least 1,678 cases of vandalism and arson attacks on Hindu temples, idols and places of worship were also reported in the same period.

Recent ASK data shows the number of attacks on minorities in 2022 and 2023 was 12 and 22, respectively, and between January to July 2024, there were 28 such attacks. The attacks are random in nature, influenced by various local and national political and economic factors. For example, during the first six months of 2024 when Sheikh Hasina was in power, attacks on minorities in January, February and March were 10, seven and four, respectively, while incidents of attack in April, May and June were zero, three and three, respectively. It must be noted that news reports are one of the sources of ASK data.

After the current interim government assumed responsibility, there were 10 and 11 attacks on minorities in September and October 2024, respectively, based on ASK statistics. A year ago in September and October 2023, there were eight and three attacks. But three years ago, in just three days of October 2021, while Hasina was in power, 70 puja venues, 30 homes and 50 shops were vandalised, torched and looted in different parts of the country. The Hindu community faced the highest number of attacks in 2014; as many as 761 Hindu homes, 193 businesses and 247 temples and places of worship were attacked that year.

Therefore, attacks on minority groups in Bangladesh have not started suddenly after the fall of Sheikh Hasina. Over the years, various motives—from land grabbing to local political conflicts and even posts about religion on Facebook—led to attacks on the Hindu community and sometimes other marginalised groups in Bangladesh. Of course, these are very sad and unacceptable incidents and many Bangladeshis are fighting and protesting against these attacks, just like many Indians protest attacks on minorities in their country. However, an important difference between the situation in Bangladesh and India is that there is no communal political party in power in Bangladesh like India's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which itself is accused of patronising communal violence.

Now the question is, why have the Indian Hindutva groups, engaged in attacking and torturing the minority population in their own country because of communal hatred, suddenly become so agitated about the allegations of minority persecution in Bangladesh? What was their reaction when the Hindu community was regularly attacked during Sheikh Hasina's regime? Did they attack the High Commission of Bangladesh in India then as they recently did in Agartala? Did they stop the export of onions and potatoes to Bangladesh and urge the United Nations to send peacekeeping forces to Bangladesh?

In fact, all this is being done for political gain by creating communal tension. On the one hand, the Indian ruling class cannot accept the painful reality of losing dominance over Bangladesh after Hasina's fall. India's various strategic interests such as road, sea and rail transit through Bangladesh, using the Bangladeshi seaports, hydropower transmission from their northeastern to the southern, western and northern regions, economic zones, businesses in the energy sector etc are now facing uncertainties. On the other hand, BJP and its affiliated organisations are carrying out anti-Bangladesh propaganda in a planned manner to portray themselves as the protectors of the Hindu community.

A statement issued by the Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR), a human rights organisation of West Bengal, on December 1 is important to understand the political motive behind this. The statement read "the Indian government or the BJP has no moral right to say anything about the oppression of minorities in Bangladesh. Minority Muslims, Christians, and Buddhists are being persecuted continuously in India. Dalits and tribal people are also suffering. Just a few days ago, the Uttar Pradesh police shot dead six people of the minority community in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal. Many Muslim political leaders and social activists including Abu Bakr, Umar Khalid, Gulfisha Fatima, Sharjeel Imam have been put in jail. By taking away OBC reservation, bringing waqf bill, making uniform civil rules, and digging up temples under mosques, many rights of minorities have been or are being taken away. Thousands of minority families have been displaced by bulldozers in Uttar Pradesh and Assam."

That's why, the APDR stated that the Indian government's statement about protecting the right of expression of minorities in Bangladesh is nothing but crocodile tears. The Modi government has no right to demand equal rights for minorities in other countries by turning minorities into second-class citizens at home. This is just an attempt to spread political dominance over Bangladesh and create opportunities for unfair interference.

People of both countries should be aware and careful about this Hindutva agenda of the BJP and its affiliates. Meanwhile, communal attacks in Bangladesh must not be justified just because India's minority population is being attacked or because Hindus were attacked during Hasina's tenure in Bangladesh. People, political organisations and the government of post-Hasina Bangladesh have the responsibility to bring down the attacks on all religious and ethnic minorities, including Hindus, to zero, ensure that the attackers are brought to book and given exemplary punishment.

Furthermore, the government should take the initiative to debunk every kind of misinformation propagated by the Indian media and communicate it to both Indian and International media. For this, a special monitoring team can be formed to investigate each incident through local and foreign independent fact-checkers and bring out the real facts. Most importantly, unity and solidarity should be enhanced with the secular and democratic people and organisations of India who are fighting against the communal politics.

Kallol Mustafa is an engineer and writer who focuses on power, energy, environment and development economics.​

 

[Saif]

Spreading false narratives will get Indian media nowhere

Indian journalists should uphold journalistic standards and present reports based on facts.

www.thedailystar.net

Spreading false narratives will get Indian media nowhere
India's misinformation campaign against Bangladesh

VISUAL: ANWAR SOHEL

In journalism, there is a popular saying: if there is a dispute over whether it is raining or not, look out the window to see for yourself.

Since the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Bangladesh, a larger section of the Indian media has constantly been belittling the political changeover in Bangladesh as nothing but an emergence of extremist groups. In doing so, these "journalists" have been cherry-picking information about what has been happening in a tense, tumultuous time to tarnish the image of Bangladesh, with a pre-determined narrative. It is as if they look for information to fit the story they have already written about post-2024-uprising Bangladesh.

The main rhetoric in the Indian media is that minorities in Bangladesh have been subjected to communal violence after the student-led mass uprising toppled the Hasina regime. There is no denying the fact that homes and businesses belonging to Hindus were ransacked and set ablaze in the immediate aftermath, but so were many other establishments that belong to Muslims. Taking advantage of the political void and lawlessness that followed the ouster, people who had been victimised by the previous regime, as well as those who took the situation as an opportunity to loot properties and some fanatics unleashed a wave of attacks on their opponents or perceived enemies.

While I demand justice on behalf of the innocent men and women who suffered at that time, I will resist the manufacturing of the self-serving narratives that the Indian media is so fixated on—as vehemently as any Indian would do if the neighbouring country was judged by the 2002 Gujarat riots or the lynching of people from its minority Muslim community.

Hence, I request my Indian peers to come to Bangladesh, leaving behind prejudices, and see for themselves how things are before reporting on the country's evolving political and social situations. I appeal to them to stop portraying the country as a war zone. It is not. Things have been improving bit by bit since August 5, and we Bangladeshis are optimistic about reconciliation in a society that has been highly polarised for a decade or more to the benefit of a highly extractive political, economic and bureaucratic system.

This appeal comes from concerns that the misinformation and disinformation that journalists (who crossed over into the territory of YouTubers or activists) are spreading will ruin the potential of good relations between these two neighbours. One particular individual who has drawn my attention is Mayukh Ranjan Ghosh, senior editor of Republic Bangla. He is bent on proving that Bangladeshis are furious against the chief adviser of the interim government. It is a bizarre proposition unless he refers to the fallen political force and its sycophants.

Yes, Bangladeshis are frustrated because they are running out of patience to see a quick fix to the accumulated problems. A majority of them feel left out of the nation's economic growth over the last decade because it only exacerbated economic disparity. The macroeconomic indicators make it palpable. About a dozen banks have been dragged to near bankruptcy by close allies of Sheikh Hasina by borrowing huge amounts of money but never paying back. The capital market is in ruins because of corruption, manipulation and scams. The previous regime allowed politically influential people from the Awami League and bureaucrats, who served their interests, to exploit and distort the system of governance.

People are now suffering the consequences; they are not getting back deposits from the sick banks, the value of investments in scam-hit securities diminished, and commodity prices skyrocketed as inflation kept rising not only because of global tensions but also due to domestic mismanagement. In the meantime, jobs are scarce because the money borrowed from financial institutions on the pretext of business expansion was laundered abroad.

While the financial sector has been mercilessly beaten into the present sorry state for over a decade, it is now an uphill task to bring it back into order. The interim government has been given the mandate to bring reforms, but anyone can guess how challenging it must be. There are other concerns to address, such as rampant land grabbing, pollution of water bodies, and illegal construction of buildings, hotels, and other infrastructure by those who could get away with violating laws for their links to power before the August 5 changeover.

But Indian journalists like Mayukh Ranjan Ghosh tried to push the narrative that people were unhappy and divided in the post-August 5 era. He brought to notice some extreme sermons that criticised our national anthem, vilifying them for their lack of knowledge, but did not say how Bangladeshis around the world fought back against the force. What I hate to see is his depiction of attacks on minorities. Communal tensions have always had a presence in Bangladesh, kept alive by politicians as a calculated strategy targeting elections. Between 2012 and 2021, many attacks were made on minority communities: 2012 Ramu violence against Buddhist houses and monasteries; 2014 attacks on the Hindu community in Abhaynagar, Jashore; 2016 attacks on Hindus in Nasirnagar, Brahmanbaria over a fake Facebook post; and the 2020 attack on Hindu households in Muradnagar, Cumilla, for example.

The Awami League government did not ensure justice for the victims of those attacks, and we did not see Indian media personalities—such as Mr Ghosh—expressing concern and warning the then government against inaction. The Indian government, too, was not vocal at the time.

What has changed then? Mr Ghosh and his disciples will be able to tell. I would suggest one thing though: his yelling does not prove the points he wants to make. He has to contextualise his speeches and research a bit more to elevate his works to the standards of journalism.

Meanwhile, the damage rendered by the Indian media is that they have created a virtual version of Bangladesh as the political unpredictability offered them a good business opportunity with more and more audiences drawn to whatever content they made and promoted on social media platforms. That was feeding into an already tense psyche. The outrage in India expressed through attacks on Bangladeshi missions is inimical to the relations between the two nations.

What the present turmoil in Bangladesh demands is a supportive attitude from friends within and outside towards building an amicable environment for reforms that will help the country achieve equitable growth. We need reconciliation between opposing forces; we need harmony and solidarity to rebuild the nation for the better.

On Monday, during an official visit to Bangladesh, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said India wanted to "carry on where we left off," meaning the disruption in the bilateral ties after Hasina's fall. "There is no second thought about increasing engagements. We see this as beneficial for both countries," he said. I hope the section of the Indian media that is bent on fuelling tensions between the two countries will take note. Above all, I expect them to uphold journalistic standards and present reports based on facts.

Bishakha Devnath is the business editor of The Financial Express.​

 

[Saif]

Fake videos fuelling communal tension: Mamata

Urges Indian govt to protect Bangladeshi minorities

www.thedailystar.net

Fake videos fuelling communal tension: Mamata
Urges Indian govt to protect Bangladeshi minorities

Mamata Banerjee. AFP file photo

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has expressed concern over the circulation of fake videos, alleging that these are being deliberately spread to mislead people and provoke communal tensions.

"I have already spoke in the assembly [regarding Bangladesh]... Several fake videos are being circulated, and people are being misled," Mamata told reporters in Digha.

She emphasised the need to curb such misinformation and called for vigilance to prevent unrest.

Mamata reiterated her demand for the security of all communities and urged the central government to facilitate the return of Indian nationals from Bangladesh who wish to come back to India.

"We are also demanding protection for everyone. We want the Government of India to act. Provide security to people. Those who want to return, arrangements must be made for them to return," she said.

Clarifying the situation at the India-Bangladesh border, the chief minister said that no borders have been closed.

"Had that been the case, we would have had instructions. We have no such instructions," she said, adding that it was a matter for the Centre.​

 

[Saif]

India denounced for spreading rumours against Bangladesh

Protesters against Indian aggression towards Bangladesh on Friday blamed India for spreading rumours over torturing religious minorities in Bangladesh after the ouster of the Awami League government.

www.newagebd.net

India denounced for spreading rumours against Bangladesh
Staff Correspondent 14 December, 2024, 01:00

New Age photo

Protesters against Indian aggression towards Bangladesh on Friday blamed India for spreading rumours over torturing religious minorities in Bangladesh after the ouster of the Awami League government.

They alleged that India was hatching such conspiracies as the country could not be able to use the interim government like slaves what it had done in Bangladesh during fascist Sheikh Hasina’s 16 years of misrule.

Protests spread in Dhaka as elsewhere across the country hours after the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in India’s Agartala came under attack by a group of Indians on December 2 during their protests, demanding the release of Hindu community leader in Bangladesh Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, now in jail in a sedition case.

The protest for the attack on Bangladesh mission in India and India’s aggression against Bangladesh continued for the past 12 days.

Addressing a rally organised by Jubo Odhikar Parishad in front of the National Press Club on Friday afternoon, Gono Odhikar Parishad faction president Nurul Haque Nur said that Indian media outlets, politicians and civil society representatives were spreading rumours that religious minorities were being tortured in Bangladesh after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina regime.

‘India had used the Awami League like a slave in the past 16 years but they could not use the interim government what they did with the Awami League government. This is why they are spreading such rumours and propaganda in Bangladesh,’ he added.

He said that India continued to deprive people of Bangladesh of waters of 54 transboundary rivers with Bangladesh.

He said that from now on, bilateral agreements would be made on the basis of equality.

After the rally, they also brought out a torch procession protesting against India’s aggression and hegemony.

Bangladesh Deshpremik Projonmo also formed a human chain demanding communal harmony in Bangladesh at the base of Raju Memorial Sculpture on the Dhaka University campus on Friday afternoon.​

 

[Saif]

37 citizens slam Indian media slurs

Thirty-seven eminent citizens, including academics and right activists, have denounced and protested at the false and baseless reports being circulated in the Indian media about the persecution of religious minorities in Bangladesh.

www.newagebd.net

37 citizens slam Indian media slurs
Staff Correspondent 14 December, 2024, 01:04

Thirty-seven eminent citizens, including academics and right activists, have denounced and protested at the false and baseless reports being circulated in the Indian media about the persecution of religious minorities in Bangladesh.

In a joint statement, they said, ‘A certain quarter is deliberately stirring sectarian tension and spreading exaggerated and false information that religious minority communities in Bangladesh have been facing relentless attacks and persecution, with the intent of achieving their malicious political agenda.’

The statement, issued on Friday by Shamsul Huda, executive director of the Association for Land Reform and Development, noted that these malicious activities were a major obstacle in maintaining and advancing the historic, equal, and mutually respectful relations between the two countries, and urged all parties concerned to refrain from such actions.

It highlighted that Sammilito Sanatani Jagaran Jot, in a recent press release, called for the intervention of the United Nations to protect the Hindu community in Bangladesh, which could not be viewed as an isolated incident, given the context of previous occurrences.

The statement said that there were allegations that a certain quarter was forcing members of religious minority communities from Bangladesh, who were legally entering India with valid passports and visas, to give false statements claiming that they had faced various forms of harassment and persecution in Bangladesh, by confiscating their passports.

The statement pointed out that the prime mastermind behind the unprecedented mass killings during the July-August uprising, now sheltered under Indian government security, was regularly spreading provocative anti-Bangladesh statements, although the Indian government, during the recent visit by its foreign secretary Shri Vikram Misri, claimed that it did not support such statements.

‘If that is the case, why are they not taking any action to prevent these objectionable statements from being spread by Sheikh Hasina and her associates in India?’ the statement questioned.

Mentioning that the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government had already begun investigations into 88 such attacks and arrested 70 accused individuals, the signatories called for swift investigations into all the allegations of sectarian attacks and bringing the perpetrators to justice.

The signatories included former Jahangirnagar University economics professor Anu Muhammad, human rights activist Sultana Kamal, Nijera Kori coordinator Khushi Kabir, Campaign for Popular Education executive director Rasheda K Chowdhury, barrister Sara Hossain, writer and activist Rahnuma Ahmed, and photographer Shahidul Alam.

In another statement on Friday, 53 noted citizens, including journalists and artists, denounced anti-Bangladesh campaigns by a section of Indian media outlets saying that they were actually serving the interests of Indian right-wing extremist ruling party Bharatiya Janata Party, Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha reported.​