Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam on Saturday said they expect responsible journalism from the media outlets, especially at a time when they have ‘enjoyed unprecedented freedom’ over the past 18 months.
“Yet, time and again, they have failed to perform even the most basic journalistic checks,” he said, noting that journalists are quick to lecture governments, politicians and powerful individuals about responsibility but when it comes time to look in the mirror, many choose to look away.
Alam made the remarks in a post from his verified Facebook account while describing the incidents that took place on Friday.
On Friday, Abdullah Al Jaber, a longtime associate of Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi, was injured during clashes with police, said the Press Secretary.
Dozens of supporters and members of Inquilab Moncho were also injured and received treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
“As Jaber was being rushed to the hospital, a red-banner post appeared on his Facebook account claiming he had been shot, using the Bangla word gulibiddha. This is a highly loaded term. To most people, gulibiddha clearly implies being hit by live bullets,” Alam said, noting that the post quickly went viral and triggered serious tensions.
Unfortunately, he said, major media houses, including television channels and newspapers, treated this Facebook post as fact. “They ran photocards and headlines claiming that Inquilab Moncho leader Abdullah Al Jaber had been shot. The misinformation spread like wildfire.”
Alam said they contacted the police and the DMP categorically stated that no shots were fired. “In fact, following directives from the Interim Government, police no longer carry lethal weapons.”
Later, Alam said, the Director of Dhaka Medical College Hospital also confirmed that none of the protesters, including Jaber, had been shot.
“News gathering is a serious responsibility. One mistake can incite violence, spark riots, and create chaos. Our newspapers and TV stations failed miserably in reporting yesterday’s clashes. They did not merely fall for clickbait, they amplified it,” said the Press Secretary.
He said their lack of verification and basic journalistic rigor helped create an explosive situation. “Only statements from the Interim Government, the DMP and DMCH eventually helped calm things down.”
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“We have seen this before. The violence following the crash of an Air Force fighter jet at Milestone School was largely fueled by bad journalism,” Alam said.
He said the sensational and inaccurate reporting helped create a lynch mob that confined several advisers and officials inside the school for more than nine hours.
“Another mob broke into the Secretariat, home to all ministries, and vandalised offices,” Alam said, adding that Friday’s reckless clickbait journalism nearly produced a similar outcome.