CA Press Wing bins claim of Bangladesh's plan to change its national flag

Chief Adviser's Press Wing has debunked the claim that Bangladesh's interim government is considering altering the country's national flag, terming it entirely false.

"A false claim has been widely circulating across several websites and social media platforms, including X [formerly Twitter], alleging that Bangladesh's interim government is considering altering its national flag," the press wing said in a statement posted on its verified Facebook page - CA Press Wing Facts.

The rumour, amplified by dozens of users including Sajeeb Wazed Joy, son of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, falsely asserts that an Islamic crescent and star, resembling symbols commonly associated with Pakistan and Turkey, will be added to the Bangladeshi flag, it said.

The press wing said a digitally fabricated image showing a redesigned flag has gone viral, amassing nearly one million views and significant engagement - especially from audiences in Pakistan, Turkey, and the Middle East.

"These claims are entirely false. As of 14 June 2025, no credible Bangladeshi media outlet has reported any such plan or discussion about changing the flag's design. There is no basis for nationwide discussion on a decision that doesn't exist, nor has any domestic or international reliable news source mentioned such a move," reads the statement.

Bangladeshi fact-checking outlet The Dissent reported: "Sajeeb Wazed Joy, son of the deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, propagated a false article titled 'Bangladesh Considers Adding Islamic Crescent to Its Flag, Mirroring Pakistan and Turkey,' written by an AI-generated author named Robert Brown, and published on 6 June.

"The article circulating this false narrative contains no citations, evidence, or traceable sources. The fake story appears to have originated from a post made on 4 June by the pro-Pakistan X account @SouthAsiaIndex, which first shared a mock design of a new Bangladeshi flag. This same image was later included in the fake article shared by Sajeeb Wazed."

This misinformation campaign appears to be deliberately designed to exploit religious symbolism and provoke identity-based outrage, especially among nationalist or conservative audiences, the press wing said.

The so-called redesigned flag was created using AI-generated imagery, underscoring the fabricated nature of the entire claim, it added.

This is not the first time such narratives have surfaced. Following the mass protests in Bangladesh in July, several accounts - including @AsianDigest - falsely claimed that student leaders had proposed a new national flag, according to the statement.

That post gathered over 90,000 views before being thoroughly debunked, the press wing said, urging social media users to exercise caution and verify any such claims before sharing.

It said there is no movement in Bangladesh advocating for a change in its national flag, and these fabricated stories serve only to distort the truth and create unnecessary division.

"Let us prioritise factual information and resist the spread of unfounded rumours," adds the statement.