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Stop disinformation campaign against students-led mass uprising in Bangladesh

An open letter to Indian media outlets
TBP Online
14 Aug 2024 22:19:44 | Update: 14 Aug 2024 22:22:57
Stop disinformation campaign against students-led mass uprising in Bangladesh

A total of 86 eminent individuals, including poets, writers, journalists, and university professors, have written an open letter to Indian media outlets, protesting the spread of misinformation and propaganda regarding the student quota reform movement and the subsequent uprising that toppled the Awami League government on August 5.

In the letter, written on Tuesday, these individuals demanded an end to the dissemination of misinformation, accountability, and apologies to the Bangladeshi protesters.

The letter states: 

“We, the undersigned, are deeply concerned that the majority of Indian media outlets are spreading misinformation, disinformation, and propaganda about the recent mass uprising in Bangladesh and the developing situation.

Most Indian media has falsely depicted the mass uprising in Bangladesh as a conspiracy orchestrated by the opposition parties, Islamic militants, and Western powers. These claims by media outlets— backed mainly by the Indian ruling party or government—are baseless.

The student-led uprising transformed from an anti-discrimination demand to the resignation of Sheikh Hasina’s autocratic government following mass murders that she ordered against peaceful protesters.

Indian media outlets like Republic TV, Zee News, News 18 India, NDTV, and many others have ignored the death and devastation caused by armed forces and the then-ruling party’s student wing, Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), including the killing of over 300 students, 32 of whom were children, and 10,000 arrests.

Additionally, among the injured, 68 per cent of the protesters had to undergo major eye surgeries.

Under Sheikh Hasina’s totalitarian regime, people in Bangladesh were living in fear and survived corruption, economic inequity, and violent crackdowns by the ruling party and state. In the recent past, peaceful mass protests against the regime faced state-led violence and mass killings.

The 2024 uprising was fuelled by the brutal murders by security forces between July 15 and 18, which then continued until August 5, when Sheikh Hasina fled to India, and general frustration due to high inflation, unemployment, and corruption.

After Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled to India, vandalism occurred, but it was perpetrated mainly by the mobs, not led by student protesters. There is no evidence linking the student movement to mob violence; in fact, the student leaders have repeatedly called to protect all public and private property, particularly the places of worship of religious minorities.

Indian media has ignored these developments. Instead, they have amplified misinformation and disinformation already available online. Much of the disinformation and misinformation used by many Indian media outlets are created and spread by pro-India state supporters, as research suggests.

They have also based their narrative on the lies of Sheikh Hasina’s son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy. Furthermore, Indian media has wrongfully accused the movement of fostering a communal violence, ignoring evidence that local madrasas and students protected places of worship for Hindus, Christians, and Buddhists.

People of Bangladesh view this pro-democratic uprising as their second liberation struggle, with deep respect for the martyrs. Irresponsibly, Indian journalists like Arnab Goswami, Rubi Liyakot, and Rajat Sharma have mislabeled the protesters as radical Islamists and hoodlums, creating unnecessary tensions between India and Bangladesh.

Bangladesh is striving to transform its electoral and constitutional systems that Sheikh Hasina’s fascist regime has been destroyed.

India’s support is crucial for maintaining strong diplomatic and trade ties in this crisis.

We demand that these Indian media outlets stop running propaganda and misinformation campaigns, acknowledge their dissemination of unfounded information, and apologize to the brave Bangladeshi protesters.”

Signatories

  1. Anu Muhammad, economist
  2. Farhad Mazhar, poet and thinker
  3. Rahnuma Ahmed, writer
  4. Shahidul Alam, photojournalist
  5. Salimullah Khan, writer and critic
  6. Manosh Chowdhury, professor, Jahangirnagar University
  7. A Al Mamun, professor, Rajshahi University
  8. Sayema Khatun, Bangladesh Women Solidarity Network
  9. Susmita Chakrabarty, professor, Rajshahi University
  10. Dr Azfar Hussain, theorist and writer
  11. Mirza Taslima Sultana, professor, Jahangirnagar University,
  12. Dr Masood Imran, professor, Jahangirnagar University
  13. Arup Rahee, singerand writer
  14. Ryhan Rhyne, professor, Jahangirnagar University
  15. Mustafa Zaman, artist and curator
  16. Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, filmmaker
  17. Mohammad Azam, professor, University of Dhaka
  18. Mahbub Morshed, writer
  19. Debasish Chakrabarty, artist
  20. Farzana Wahid Shayan, musician
  21. Saidia Gulrukh, journalist
  22. Shakhawat Hossain Sayantha, writer
  23. Ashfaque Nipun, filmmaker
  24. Amal Akash, artist and cultural activist
  25. Anupam Debasish Roy, researcher
  26. Dipak Kumar Roy, publisher and political organiser
  27. Reetu Sattar, artist and filmmaker
  28. Omar Tarek Chowdhury, writer
  29. Maruf Mallick, journalist
  30. Salim Reza Newton, associate professor, University of Rajshahi
  31. Zobaer Al Mahmud, associate professor, University of Dhaka
  32. Md Saimum Reza Talukder, senior lecturer, BRAC University
  33. Bithi Ghosh, associate professor, Shaikh Burhanuddin Post Graduate College
  34. Rozyna Begum, researcher and rights activist
  35. Sarwar Tusher, writer and activist
  36. Marzia Prova,feminist activist
  37. Kazi Jesin, journalist and poet
  38. Debashish Chakrabarty, artist
  39. Umme Rayhana, poet and writer
  40. Sohul Ahmed, researcher and activist
  41. Latiful Islam Shibli, artist
  42. Rakhal Raha, writer and editor
  43. Gazi Tanzia, writer
  44. Deepak Kumar Goswami, actor and director
  45. Salah Uddin Shuvro, writer and journalist
  46. Ahmed Mustak, poet
  47. Sakhawat Tipu, poet
  48. Rassel Raihan, poet
  49. GH Habib, assistant professor, University of Chittagong
  50. Mohammad Arju, human rights defender
  51. Humayun Shafiq, writer
  52. Zia Hashan, writer
  53. Ali Ar Raji, assistant professor, University of Chittagong
  54. Khokan Das, writer
  55. Pintu Rahman, writer
  56. Haniyum Maria Khan, senior lecturer, North South University
  57. Tasmiah Afrin Mou, filmmaker
  58. Sadia Khalid Reeti, screenwriter and film critic
  59. Ferdous Ara Rumee, human rights defender
  60. Wahed Sujan, journalist and writer
  61. Saleh Khan, researcher and activist
  62. Zayed Siddiki, independent filmmaker and development activist
  63. Saeed Bari, publisher
  64. Ahmed Swapan Mahmud, poet
  65. Mahabub Rahman, publisher
  66. Mohammad Azaz, chairman, River and Delta Research Centre (RDRC)
  67. Sanaullah Sagor, poet
  68. Ahmed Ishak, poet
  69. Farid Ahmad, filmmaker
  70. Oliur Sun, lecturer, University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh(ULAB)
  71. Tuhin Khan, writer and activist
  72. Rayhan Ahmed Tamim, poet
  73. Syed Muntasir Ridwan, environmentalist
  74. Enamul Haque Palash, poet
  75. Nokib Munshi, poet
  76. Ehasan Mahamud, writer and journalist
  77. Kamrul Ahsan, writer
  78. Emel Nayeem, poet
  79. Jobaer Milon, writer
  80. Jabbar Al Nayeem, writer
  81. Mustafiz Forayeji, editor
  82. Ehsan Habib, poet
  83. Abdul Halim Chanchal, Pathshala South Asian Media Institute
  84. Kajal Shahnewaz, poet
  85. Zunnu Rien, poet
  86. Bayezid Bostami, poet
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