A secular student-led mass uprising overthrew the dictatorship of India-backed Sheikh Hasina on August 5. Hasina had ruled with an iron fist for over 15 years; her ouster has been hailed as Bangladesh’s Second Independence. On August 8 a new, diverse, and progressive interim government, headed by Nobel Laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus, was inaugurated. 

As the interim government and the nation attempts to rebuild and renew, it is already facing significant threats. A judicial coup attempt, orchestrated by loyalists of Hasina’s party Awami League, was thwarted by students on August 10. Rumors are flying of another coup allegedly planned for August 15 in an attempt to regain power. 

However, another significant threat comes from pervasive disinformation and propaganda that attempts to destabilize Bangladesh. This has also played a central role in continued efforts to discredit Bangladesh’s new interim government. This propaganda, widespread and multipronged, has spread across social media platforms since Hasina fled. The false narratives have been so widespread that international media, pundits, intellectuals, influencers, and the general public have unwittingly propagated them... 

Such efforts to generate and disseminate spurious claims, doctored images/videos, and exaggerations have significantly distorted the global understanding of the situation in Bangladesh. The ongoing global media coverage repeating misinformation, various rallies held based on the misinformation, meetings by Hindutva groups with politicians across countries to sway opinions, and discussion within the Indian Parliament—all these developments have further entrenched and fueled the false narratives.

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