According to a report by fact-checking organization Rumor Scanner, following the overthrow of the Awami League government due to a student-led uprising, several Indian media outlets have spread fake news and rumors about Bangladesh. The report lists at least 49 Indian media outlets involved in such activities between August 12 and December 5, publishing a total of 13 instances of fake news.
Among them, Republic Bangla spread the most, with five false stories. It is followed by Hindustan Times, Zee News, and Live Mint, each spreading at least three fake reports. Additionally, Republic, India Today, ABP Ananda, and Aaj Tak published at least two fabricated stories each.
The remaining 41 outlets involved in spreading misinformation include Asian News International (ANI), NDTV, Economic Times, The Indian Express, Firstpost, OpIndia, Free Press Journal, Mirror Now, India.com, The Times of India, and many others.
Fake News Highlights
Some fake reports include:
1. A forged open letter attributed to Sheikh Hasina after her resignation.
2. Misrepresentation of a human chain protest regarding a missing Muslim boy as a Hindu issue.
3. False reports of interim government head Dr. Muhammad Yunus being hospitalized in the ICU.
4. Baseless claims of lifting bans on banned militant groups in Bangladesh.
5. Fake news of Dr. Yunus fleeing to France after Trump’s election victory.
Other instances include allegations of importing weapons via Pakistani ships, spreading false claims about Indian TV channels being banned in Bangladesh, and misleading reports about travel warnings issued by the UK. Some outlets falsely claimed that Bangladesh is building Asia’s second-largest airbase near the Chicken’s Neck with Chinese technical assistance, which Rumor Scanner debunked as entirely false.
Expert Opinion
Fahmidul Haq, a Bangladeshi media analyst based in the U.S., commented that mainstream Indian media outlets have often lowered their standards to the level of social media in reporting on Bangladesh. He advised combating such misinformation by:
1. Sending formal protests to the outlets involved.
2. Increasing Bangladesh’s presence in English-language social media and media platforms.
3. Collaborating with local and international English-language media to counter false narratives.
While acknowledging some incidents of minority persecution, he emphasized the need to distinguish facts from fabricated claims and address misinformation systematically.
