China offers help to fight foreign media disinformation

China has pledged to support Bangladesh in countering disinformation and negative portrayals of its political situation circulating in international media and online platforms, particularly following the July mass uprising.

According to an official from the information and broadcasting ministry, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen sent a letter on 21 May to Information Adviser Md Mahfuj Alam, offering cooperation in addressing political disinformation.

The letter proposed that China would share its global strategies for combating misinformation, allowing Bangladesh to adopt similar approaches to manage misleading narratives about its internal affairs.

The current interim government has frequently accused certain foreign media outlets and online platforms, including those run by expatriate Bangladeshis, of spreading anti-government propaganda. Several of these reports have been officially disputed.

Following the Chinese proposal, a focus group discussion was held on 28 May, chaired by Additional Secretary Md Kawsar Ahmad, to explore joint measures to counter disinformation.

An official present at the meeting said the letter acknowledged the challenges Bangladesh faces with false narratives and noted that China experiences similar issues. The proposal included organising a joint seminar for officials from both countries to share strategies and strengthen efforts against disinformation.

The report from the discussion also stated that a Chinese official based in Dhaka has been appointed as a focal point for this initiative, and the Chinese side has requested Bangladesh to designate a counterpart to coordinate the seminar.