Govt rejects Netra News photo feature on CHT as 'misleading'
The government also categorically rejected any comparison between the CHT and the “West Bank” or any other occupied territory, calling such analogies "baseless and a gross distortion of reality".
The government has rejected what it described as a misleading portrayal of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) in a recent photo feature published by Netra News, which indicated the region as "occupied", "militarised", or "under military rule".
In a statement issued by the Home Ministry on Monday, the government said such descriptions are "factually incorrect, misleading, and disrespectful to the people of the Chittagong Hill Tracts and the Bangladeshi nation as a whole."
"Since independence in 1971, the Chittagong Hill Tracts have always been an integral and inseparable part of Bangladesh's sovereign territory," the statement read. "The region is administered under the civilian authority of the government, not under military rule."
It said as in other parts of the country, security forces are present in the area to maintain peace, protect all citizens and uphold stability and development.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
The government also categorically rejected any comparison between the CHT and the "West Bank" or any other occupied territory, calling such analogies "baseless and a gross distortion of reality".
"Bangladesh is a sovereign and independent state, and no part of its territory is under any form of occupation," it added.
The statement reaffirmed Bangladesh's full commitment to upholding human rights, fostering inclusivity, and promoting the welfare and development of all communities in the CHT.
"We welcome credible, evidence-based reporting on human rights issues," the statement continued.
To date, no verified or substantiated reports of systematic abuses by security forces in the region have been found, it added.
Reiterating that Bangladesh values responsible journalism and freedom of expression, the government stressed that such freedom must be exercised with responsibility and factual accuracy.
"We urge all media and creative platforms to practice professionalism, sensitivity, and adherence to factual integrity while reporting on complex historical and social contexts," the statement added.
