Following the ousting of Sheikh Hasina on August 5, tensions and unease have marked Bangladesh-India bilateral relations. Concerns over minority issues in Bangladesh have been raised by some Indian citizens and political groups, reportedly fueled by disinformation propagated through Indian media outlets.
According to a detailed investigation by fact-checking organization Rumor Scanner, several leading Indian media outlets have spread false, misleading, and fabricated news about Bangladesh in the aftermath of the political change.
Between August 12 and December 5, at least 13 instances of fake news related to Bangladesh were identified across 49 Indian media platforms.
Republic Bangla topped the list with five fake stories, while Hindustan Times, Zee News, and Live Mint each published at least three pieces of misinformation. Other outlets such as Republic TV, India Today, ABP Ananda, and Aaj Tak were found responsible for at least two fabricated reports each. The remaining 41 platforms were responsible for at least one false claim each.
Some of the notable fake stories include:
• A fabricated open letter attributed to Sheikh Hasina following her resignation.
• A video of a protest about a missing Muslim man's son misrepresented as a Hindu-related incident.
• False news about Nobel Laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus being admitted to an ICU.
• Baseless claims that restrictions on banned militant organizations in Bangladesh were lifted.
• A fabricated report that Dr. Yunus fled to France after Donald Trump's election victory.
• False allegations of arms shipments to Bangladesh via Pakistani vessels.
• Misrepresentation of slain lawyer Saiful Islam as legal counsel for Chinmoy Krishna.
• Fake news claiming Indian TV channels were banned in Bangladesh.
• Videos of Durga idol immersion in India misrepresented as vandalism of Hindu temples in Bangladesh.
• False claims of attacks on Shyamoli Paribahan buses tied to Chinmoy Krishna’s case.
• Misleading reports about a UK travel advisory warning of militant attacks in Bangladesh.
One significant piece of disinformation involved an alleged open letter by Sheikh Hasina from Delhi after she sought asylum in India following her removal from office. Indian media outlets falsely claimed that the letter blamed the United States for her ousting, despite no evidence supporting this claim.
Rumor Scanner’s findings highlight the role of Indian media in amplifying communal narratives and misinformation, contributing to growing mistrust and bilateral tensions. The Bangladeshi government has consistently refuted these false claims and called for accurate reporting to maintain harmony between the two nations.
BDST: 2039 HRS, DEC 06, 2024
MSK
