Since the shift in political power in Bangladesh on August 12, at least 13 instances of false news concerning Bangladesh have been disseminated by Indian media outlets, as revealed by an investigation by Rumor Scanner. The analysis identified 49 Indian media outlets involved in spreading these claims.
Among the most prominent offenders, Republic Bangla published five false stories, making it the leading source of misinformation. This was followed by Hindustan Times, Zee News, and Live Mint, each publishing three false reports. Other outlets like Republic, India Today, ABP Ananda, and Aaj Tak were responsible for at least two instances each, while 41 additional media outlets spread at least one false report.
Following the fall of the Awami League government, misinformation targeting Bangladesh proliferated, eliciting significant reactions from audiences in both countries. For instance, Indian media circulated a claim that Sheikh Hasina had addressed the public via an open letter from Delhi blaming the United States for her ousting. This claim, first shared on Facebook and later published by the Agartala-based newspaper Tripura Bhobishshot, was debunked as entirely fabricated.
Similarly, a viral video claimed a Hindu man in Bangladesh was protesting the disappearance of his son. In reality, the man, named Babul Howlader, was a Muslim seeking his son who went missing in 2013.
Other fabricated claims included reports of Dr. Muhammad Yunus being hospitalized in an ICU, which were accompanied by unrelated images, and allegations that the new administration in Bangladesh lifted bans on outlawed extremist groups, neither of which had any basis in truth.
A particularly egregious falsehood claimed that a Pakistani military vessel from 1971 had docked in Chattogram, supposedly carrying arms. This claim was debunked as the ship in question was a commercial vessel, MV Yuan Jian Fa Zhong, carrying industrial raw materials.
The narrative of religious discord was also exploited. For example, Indian media misrepresented a video from West Bengal as an attack on Hindu temples by Muslims in Bangladesh. Similarly, the claim that Shyamoli Paribahan’s bus on the Dhaka-Agartala route was attacked and passengers were threatened proved baseless; the incident was merely a traffic accident caused by overtaking.
Indian outlets also claimed that Bangladesh banned Indian satellite channels, a statement refuted by Bangladesh’s Ministry of Information. Another false report suggested that the Bangladesh Air Force was constructing Asia’s second-largest airbase near India’s Siliguri Corridor with Chinese assistance. In reality, the Lalmohanirhat airport had been inactive for six decades, with no plans for its revival.
Lastly, rumors spread that the United Kingdom had issued a specific travel advisory warning about imminent terror attacks in Bangladesh. However, the advisory in question was part of a general global alert applicable to numerous countries, including India, France, and Germany.
This wave of misinformation highlights the need for verifying sources and cross-checking claims to avoid misrepresentation, particularly during politically sensitive periods.
