AL and Indian Media Accused of Smearing Prof. Yunus

Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam spoke at the launching ceremony of a compilation book titled "Droher Graffiti: Chobisher Gono Obhyutthan" at the Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka today. Photo: BSS

Shafiqul Alam, Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser, has accused the Awami League (AL) and Indian media of orchestrating a smear campaign against Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus. He claimed that millions of dollars are being spent to portray Yunus as a militant leader, with Indian media playing a key role in this effort. Alam emphasized that these actions aim to distort the true nature of the political events in Bangladesh, presenting them not as a popular uprising but as part of a larger conspiracy.

Alam made these statements during the launch of a book titled “Droher Graffiti: Chobisher Gono Obhyutthan” at the Jatiya Press Club. He sharply criticized Sheikh Hasina, calling her the "mother of thieves and queen of enforced disappearances," alleging that her administration is attempting to rewrite Bangladesh's history and reverse the narrative of the 1971 liberation and the July uprising.

He accused the Awami League of spreading false claims, including exaggerating the number of police officers killed during the uprising and portraying Yunus as a militant leader. According to Alam, Indian media involvement, coupled with significant financial backing from Hasina’s government, has fueled this “well-orchestrated” campaign.

Alam further claimed that under Hasina’s leadership, there has been an ongoing effort to suppress the true history of Bangladesh, including covering up the 1974 famine and the atrocities committed by the Rakkhi Bahini, a paramilitary group formed by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He lamented that many incidents, like the mysterious death of photojournalist Aftab Ahmed, have gone uninvestigated, while the government's narrative distorts these painful chapters.

Alam stressed the importance of preserving the history of the July uprising, urging the public to document events through artwork and literature to prevent the ruling party from rewriting history. He also criticized the failure to document important historical events like the Liberation War, which allowed some individuals to falsely present themselves as freedom fighters.

In his address, Alam accused the Awami League government of widespread corruption, alleging that $234 billion was smuggled out of Bangladesh and that thousands were subjected to enforced disappearances and killings under Hasina's rule. He called for extensive research and seminars to expose the government’s abuses over the last 15 years.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, who was the chief guest at the event, and other speakers echoed Alam’s sentiments, emphasizing the need for accurate historical documentation and the preservation of the July uprising’s spirit.

BSS Managing Director Mahbub Morshed, in his welcome address, highlighted the importance of preserving the artwork and graffiti from the mass uprising to ensure future generations understand the true history. He cited Czech-French novelist Milan Kundera’s quote, “The struggle of man against power is the struggle of memory against forgetting,” urging the audience to safeguard the memory of the movement against authoritarian attempts to rewrite it.