Buddhist leaders demand punishment for reports inciting violence

Leaders from the Buddhist community on Sunday demanded exemplary punishment for the people responsible for publishing a news report that claimed there was a Buddhist militancy group plotting to attack Muslims in Bangladesh on April 24. They alleged this was irresponsible reporting, calling it propaganda to incite people into violence, at the Dhaka Reporters Unity. At the press conference organised by the Buddhist Tradition, Culture and Heritage Conservation Parishad, the president of the organisation Progyananda urged the Bangladesh Press Council to issue a proper directive to the media about publishing fake news. Following the report on April 24, several other Bangla newspapers papers also published similar reports, which Bhikkhu said was done on purpose: “We believe that a vested interest group has been spreading false news to incite violence. “We sincerely ask the government to take the issue seriously and carry out a proper investigation and award the appropriate punishment to the responsible party.” He also demanded the newspapers acknowledge their mistake for publishing fake and violence inciting material as reporters, editors and publishers are all equally responsible for what gets into their newspaper.