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20 days ago

Foreign advisor briefs diplomats on ‘misinformation campaign’ targeting Bangladesh

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Touhid Hossain, the interim government’s foreign affairs advisor, has briefed diplomats about a “coordinated misinformation campaign” to prop up a narrative of religious persecution, particularly of the Hindu community, in Bangladesh.

The briefing began at 3pm on Monday at the State Guest House Padma, according to foreign ministry officials.

Representatives from foreign diplomatic missions in Bangladesh, as well as officials from various United Nations agencies, were invited.

Since the fall of Awami League government on Aug 5 following a student-led mass uprising, the issue of minority persecution in Bangladesh has gained traction in the Indian media and social media platforms.

The arrest and subsequent denial of bail for Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, a Hindu priest and spokesperson for the Sammilita Sanatani Jagaran Jote, triggered a war of words between Delhi and Dhaka.

The day after Chinmoy’s arrest, India’s Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement expressing “deep concern” over the matter.

In response, Bangladesh’s foreign ministry issued a statement hours later, rejecting India’s concerns as “baseless”. Dhaka argued that such statements were not only a misrepresentation of facts but also ran contrary to the spirit of friendship and mutual understanding between the neighbouring countries.

The Bangladesh government also underlined its commitment to maintaining communal harmony in the country.

Speaking at an event marking the 30th anniversary of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) in Dhaka on Sunday, Foreign Advisor Touhid claimed that a “coordinated misinformation campaign” targeting Bangladesh was underway, not just in India but on a global scale.

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