Reports in Bangladeshi media outlets regarding the political situation in Bangladesh are based upon a fraudulent statement attributed to the US House Foreign Affairs Committee and certain Members of Congress, says a press note.
On January 7, a number of media outlets both in home and abroad, published a report on the ongoing political situation of Bangladesh based on a statement attributed to US House Foreign Affairs Committee.
The fake statement condemned government’s action against BNP chief Khaleda Zia after she was prevented from observing “black day” on Jan 5 -- a day the government observed as the first anniversary of the 10th parliamentary elections.
Later, a UK-based newspaper, that also published the statement, claimed that a senior aide to BNP Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman has sent them the pressnote.
The US House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce and other ranking members of the committee on Saturday issued a statement, citing that the media reports were based on a fraudulent statement.
The statement read: “Certain press reports in Bangladeshi media outlets dated January 7 regarding the political situation in Bangladesh are based upon a fraudulent statement attributed to the US House Foreign Affairs Committee and certain Members of Congress, including Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA), Ranking Member Eliot Engel (D-NY), Steve Chabot (R-OH), Joseph Crowley (D-NY), George Holding (R-NC), and Grace Meng (D-NY).”
“Though the Committee and many Members of Congress continue to monitor the political situation in Bangladesh, the Committee did not – and the Members did not -- issue any such statement. It is unacceptable that any party would seek to use a fraudulent press statement from the US Congress to advance their political goals.”
