The suspension of assistant commissioner and executive magistrate Tapashee Tabassum Urmi has exposed organized online campaigns being run by the Awami League, whose leaders and activists have remained nearly invisible since its ouster from power on August 5, if not already arrested in a random murder case.
Many Awami League activists are using social media websites, mainly Facebook, YouTube and X, and by creating hundreds of fake pages and profiles using her name, they are promoting Tapashee’s Facebook posts and the statements she made while talking to the media.
These fake accounts have also been accused of spreading misinformation and rumors against the interim government on social media, especially Facebook and X.
The original Facebook account is inaccessible since she kept the profile locked.
On Saturday, an adviser to the interim government asked the people to be aware of misinformation and rumors on social media, alleging that the collaborators of the fascist government, ousted following a student-led mass uprising on August 5, were behind the campaigns.
Politicians and social media influencers supporting the government have questioned her intentions after she questioned the legitimacy of the interim government in a recent Facebook post. She also criticized the "reset button" statement of Chief Adviser Prof Dr Muhammad Yunus and claimed that martyr Abu Sayed was a terrorist who had been killed by his fellows.
She alleged that the Chief Adviser and the student leaders were attempting to erase the history of the 1971 Liberation War and Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by harboring anti-liberation forces. She warned the government, saying that the countdown had already begun.
Apart from suspending her, the government also launched a departmental investigation. She will also have to face interrogation by the law enforcers since several cases have been filed against her.
Daughter of a retired professor and hailing from Mymensingh, Tapashee is a computer engineer graduating from Sust in the 2010-11 session. She joined the public service through the 40th BCS in 2022.
Even though she is known as an outspoken person, her recent Facebook posts created hype as her moves criticize the incumbent government and a martyr of the uprising, which many people label as a revolution and second independence war and the killings as genocide.
Her defiance has raised questions about why she posted the status on Dr Yunus and another criticizing the narratives over university student Abu Sayed, who was injured in a targeted police firing and later died in a hospital in Rangpur on July 16.
What did she say about Dr Yunus?
On October 5, Tapashee wrote on Facebook: "The chief adviser of the constitutionally baseless interim government has said a reset button has been pushed. The past is erased. He deleted all the past history of the country by clicking a reset button. So simple. The countdown has begun for you, sir."
When asked about the post, Tapashee said: "I shared the post on Facebook, which should be enough to explain. I had set it to 'only me' on Facebook, so the transfer could be due to various reasons. If I lose my job because of it, I will be fine with that. But what does pressing the reset button to delete the past mean? I believe that forces opposing the Liberation War exist within our country's governance structure. The July massacre and other events require investigation, as they are not yet proven facts."
Investigations and cases
The controversy came to light on October 7, when newspapers carried reports on her transfer and subsequent suspension.
Officials said Tapashee was transferred to the Public Administration Ministry as a special officer on duty (OSD), and a departmental investigation was launched against her as per the Bangladesh Service Rules on October 6, a day after she posted the status on Facebook. On October 7, she was suspended.
On October 8, a leader of the Gono Odhikar Parishad filed a defamation case against Tapashee. Taking the case into cognizance, the court ordered the accused to appear before it on November 28.
On October 9, a case was filed for sedition and defamation by rights activist Molla Showkot Hossain in Khulna, demanding compensation of Tk1,000. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has been ordered to look into the case, filed under Section 124(A) and Section 100 of the Penal Code.
There have been protests against her remarks in some districts. Demands for her arrest are also getting louder.
Students of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (Sust) on Thursday declared former student Tapashee unwanted and banned for life on the campus. They also demanded that her certificates be revoked.
Journalists, human rights activists, and government critics expressed frustration, saying that the suspension and subsequent cases raise questions about the very foundation of freedom of speech.
They argue that the lack of freedom of speech and space to voice opinions, be it on social media platforms or otherwise, was one of the hallmarks of the previous Awami League regime. Instead of suspending Tapashee, senior journalist Masood Kamal said that the government should have taken action against the top bureaucrats who had served the Awami League regime.
A sudden or planned move?
After her suspension, Tapashee spoke to several newspapers and TV channels and defended her stance. She claimed she had no link to the Awami League but supports the spirit of the Liberation War and respects Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
However, critics say the timing of her Facebook posts coincides with the leak of a phone conversation of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, a recent prayer filed by Tapashee to surrender her official passport, and her attempt to go abroad or pursue higher studies.
Politician and academician Dr Zahed Ur Rahman thinks Tapashee may have a motive to destabilize the country, as is being tried by the Awami League leadership from exile, including Sheikh Hasina, and from hideouts inside the country.
In the latest leaked conversation with a party leader, Sheikh Hasina showed no sign of regret for the massacre during the movement and vented anger against the civil administration and those responsible for killing, torturing, and arresting her party activists.
The Awami League president also hinted that the government led by her foe, Prof Yunus, would not survive more than a month.
Tapashee has become an icon of protest among the Awami League leaders and supporters who are active on social media. Since October 6, when her OSD order came to the media, hundreds of profiles and pages have been created on Facebook, Dhaka Tribune has observed. The Public Administration Ministry suspended her the same day.
During this time, Tapashee's personal profile as well as the fake profiles and new pages all gained followers and friends very quickly.
These accounts are publicizing Tapashee's Facebook posts and her statements in media, while also promoting the Awami League in the comments section of news-related pages.
The Awami League has also engaged people to operate bot accounts on Facebook, YouTube and X, and they're carrying out campaigns against the government using hashtags to demand its resignation.
Their online campaigns got a boost since August 5 because many of the party activists have been in hiding or staying abroad since the fall of the government out of fear of death in mob violence and to evade arrest.
In the last two months, hundreds of murder cases have been filed against the Awami League leaders, from party President Sheikh Hasina to grassroots members, for murders, enforced disappearances, and corruption. The party, however, claims that dozens of its leaders and activists were killed by rival political groups, and mass arrests are underway by the joint forces with the Armed Forces given magistracy power since September 17.
Meanwhile, several cases have been filed against people allegedly for defaming the Chief Adviser, other advisers, and martyr Abu Sayed under the controversial Cyber Security Act, with the police arresting the accused.
Govt stance on social media rumors
The adviser to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, Md Nahid Islam, yesterday alleged that the fascist forces, having been defeated on the streets, were spreading many rumors on social media platforms like Facebook.
“False information is being disseminated through fake accounts. They are trying to demonstrate their power online.”
He urged the public not to believe their false information and rumors.
On Abu Sayed, the adviser said: “Our fellow protester, martyr Abu Sayed, was a student at Begum Rokeya University. He sacrificed his life fighting for justice on this campus. We are enjoying independence in exchange for that blood.”
The interim government is in contact with the Narendra Modi government in India to ensure the trial of Sheikh Hasina for ordering the murders, other human rights violations, and corruption.
Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain on Saturday said his government will request India to extradite Sheikh Hasina if the court summons her. Regarding the issuance of a travel document to Awami League President Sheikh Hasina, he said: “There were some discomforts in relations with India, which we are trying to overcome. Good relations are essential for both countries. Any country can issue a travel document to anyone.”
