During a press conference held at the Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU) on Sunday, as part of an international conference series organized by The Future Forum, experts discussed the alleged misuse of “soft power” by the recently ousted Awami League government to influence both domestic and international platforms.
The event, titled “Soft Power, Hard Abuse: Awami League’s Media Mafia,” highlighted how the former government used soft power to legitimize what speakers described as a “brutal and undemocratic regime.” They alleged that the government employed extensive media control, enforced the 2018 Digital Security Act (later renamed the Cyber Security Act), and invested significant funds in promoting its soft power agenda globally.
Speakers outlined several key examples of this strategy, including hiring international political lobbyists, paying dubious members of the U.S. Congress, disseminating biased opinions, establishing the Center for Research and Information (CRI), seizing control of PEN Bangladesh, and misusing the Dhaka Lit Fest platform.
Starting in 2015, such activities reportedly involved spreading misinformation and fabricating narratives, which some labeled as “anti-Muslim, ultra-Hindu nationalist, and pro-Israel propaganda.” Additionally, allegations surfaced regarding millions of dollars being transferred internationally to individuals and organizations without Bangladesh Bank’s approval—an act deemed tantamount to money laundering under Bangladeshi law.
The speakers also drew attention to efforts to propagate soft narratives in international media. According to a September 26, 2024, report by Netra News, the Sheikh Hasina government hired a Washington-based lobbyist firm named Liberty South Asia. The firm was allegedly paid through a Dubai-registered company, Green Perspective, listed as a seller of tea, coffee, and snacks.
The conference called for greater scrutiny of the former government’s actions, with panelists emphasizing how such measures contributed to controlling narratives and consolidating power at the expense of democratic principles.
