Since August 12, a total of 49 Indian media outlets disseminated at least 13 false reports concerning the political upheaval in Bangladesh, according to an investigation by Rumor Scanner, a fact-checking media organization.
In a report titled "Spread of Fake News About Bangladesh in Indian Media Outlets," released on its website on Friday, Rumor Scanner refuted the false claims and pinpointed the media outlets responsible for disseminating the misinformation.
The report suggests that the misinformation ranged from fabricated claims about prominent figures to misleading portrayals of sensitive events, exacerbating tensions in both nations.
The unrest in Bangladesh followed a High Court ruling in June that deemed the 2018 abolition of the quota system illegal, sparking a nationwide student movement.
Protests escalated into violent clashes, ultimately leading to the ousting of Sheikh Hasina as the prime minister on August 5 and the establishment of an interim government led by Dr Muhammad Yunus on August 8.
Amid this instability, Indian media outlets spread claims, including a fabricated open letter attributed to Sheikh Hasina blaming foreign powers for her removal, false allegations about Dr Yunus being hospitalized, and reports of militant organizations resuming operations.
Prominent outlets such as Republic Bangla, Hindustan Times, and Zee News were among those that spread the false reports, with Republic Bangla leading the pack by publishing five false reports.
Some of the false reports include the following
On November 5, Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, won the 47th Presidential election in the United States. Following his victory, a claim circulated in Indian media suggesting that Dr Muhammad Yunus had fled to France. However, an investigation by the Rumor Scanner team revealed that this claim was false. The photo used as evidence of his escape was actually taken on August 8, when Dr Yunus was returning from France to Bangladesh.
On November 13, a container ship docked at the Port of Chittagong from Karachi, Pakistan, marking the first such arrival since independence. Indian media falsely claimed it was the Pakistani military vessel "Swat" from the 1971 Liberation War, allegedly carrying weapons. However, the Rumor Scanner team confirmed the ship was the MV Yuan Xiang Fa Zhan, a commercial vessel delivering industrial materials and consumer goods to Bangladesh.
Some Indian media outlets claimed that Indian satellite channels had been shut down in Bangladesh. However, an investigation by the Rumor Scanner team found that the channels were still operational. Both the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Cable Operators Association of Bangladesh confirmed that the claim was false.
A recent video circulated online, claiming that Muslims in Bangladesh had attacked a Hindu temple and vandalized idols. This claim was also highlighted by some Indian media outlets. However, the Rumor Scanner team discovered that the video was not from Bangladesh but from Sultanpur village in East Burdwan district, India, depicting a scene of idol immersion. The video had no connection to any attacks on Hindu temples in Bangladesh.
This wave of false reporting has underscored the need for greater scrutiny of media practices, especially during politically volatile times, as misinformation risks inflaming regional sensitivities.
