The government has expressed deep concern over what it described as misleading reports published by sections of the media following clashes between police and protesters during an Inquilab Moncho programme.
Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said the government expected responsible journalism from the country’s media outlets.
In a post on his verified Facebook account, on Friday, Shafiqul said sections of the media failed to carry out basic verification despite enjoying what he described as unprecedented freedom over the past 18 months.
“We expect responsible journalism from our media outlets,” he wrote, adding that repeated lapses in fact-checking had undermined public trust and created unnecessary tension.
Referring to the clashes on Friday, he said Abdullah Al Jaber, a long-time associate of Hadi, was injured, while dozens of Inquilab Moncho supporters were also hurt and later treated at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Shafiqul said a Facebook post appeared on Jaber’s account while he was being taken to hospital, claiming he had been shot, using the Bangla word gulibiddha, a term that commonly implies injury from live bullets. The post went viral and escalated tensions, he added.
“Unfortunately, major media houses, including television channels and newspapers, treated the Facebook post as fact,” he said, adding that several outlets ran headlines and photocards claiming Jaber had been shot, which he described as misinformation spreading rapidly.
He said the police were contacted and the Dhaka Metropolitan Police confirmed that no shots were fired, noting that police no longer carry lethal weapons under interim government directives. The director of Dhaka Medical College Hospital later also confirmed that none of the injured protesters, including Jaber, had been shot, he added.
Stressing that news gathering carries serious responsibility, Shafiqul said a single error can incite violence, trigger unrest and create chaos.
“Our newspapers and television stations failed miserably in reporting yesterday’s clashes,” he wrote, adding that instead of verifying information, they amplified unverified content, helping to create an explosive situation.
He said only official statements from the interim government, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police and Dhaka Medical College Hospital eventually helped calm the situation.
Drawing a parallel with earlier incidents, Shafiqul said violence following the crash of an Air Force fighter jet at Milestone School was also fuelled by inaccurate and sensational reporting, which led to a mob confining advisers and officials inside the school for more than nine hours. Another mob later vandalised offices at the Secretariat, he added.
“Yesterday’s reckless clickbait journalism nearly produced a similar outcome,” he said.
Shafiqul said journalists are often quick to lecture governments, politicians and powerful individuals on responsibility, but many avoid self-reflection when it comes to their own professional conduct.
