Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam has cautioned that the future of democracy in Bangladesh could be at serious risk if the next government fails to take decisive measures against the growing spread of misinformation and disinformation.
“The government that takes charge must prioritise strategies to combat misinformation. Ignoring this issue could push the country toward political instability,” he said while speaking at a dialogue titled “Media Freedom: The Issue of Political Commitments in Manifesto”, held on Thursday at CIRDAP Auditorium and organised by Centre for Governance Studies (CGS).
Reflecting on the evolving relationship between the government and the media since 1947, Shafiqul Alam noted that press freedom in the subcontinent has gone through alternating phases of openness and control.
“During Ayub Khan’s era, there was considerable press freedom. After 1990, journalists enjoyed their greatest independence under the caretaker government,” he observed. “During Awami League’s tenure, journalism faced its lowest period, but under Hasina’s leadership, steps have been taken to restore that freedom.”
He added that while there is now widespread fear of public backlash and online mobbing, the current government has no intention of curbing media freedom. “The real question is whether a future political government will uphold this culture,” he said.
The press secretary expressed concern that misinformation is now being spread even by educated individuals, including university professors.
He cited several recent incidents; such as false claims about Saint Martin’s Island, Milestone and Chittagong Port; that created significant challenges for the government.
“The extent of fabricated information circulated about Chittagong Port was unimaginable,” he remarked.
Unlike many other countries that have legal consequences for spreading misinformation, Bangladesh lacks effective mechanisms to deter such actions, he pointed out.
“Every day, false information is shared on talk shows,” Shafiqul Alam said. “We have urged Meta to strengthen its response to misinformation on Facebook, but progress in this area remains slow and complex.”
He reiterated that combating misinformation is essential for ensuring democratic stability and safeguarding public trust in governance.
SH
