China to help Bangladesh counter political disinformation in foreign media
Chinese embassy official based in Dhaka has already been appointed as the focal point for joint efforts to combat misinformation, and the Chinese embassy has requested the information ministry of Bangladesh to nominate a focal point for organising a joint seminar
China has pledged to assist Bangladesh in countering false information and negative propaganda regarding the country's political situation following the July uprising, which has been circulating across various international media and online platforms.
China will support Bangladesh by sharing strategies it uses to combat misinformation about itself globally, enabling Bangladesh to adopt similar tactics to counteract misleading narratives.
According to an official of the information and broadcasting ministry, who wished to remain anonymous, on 21 May, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh, Yao Wen, sent a letter to Information Adviser Md Mahfuj Alam, proposing collaboration to tackle disinformation regarding Bangladesh's political landscape after the mass uprising.
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The current interim government has frequently accused media outlets in India and other countries, along with online platforms including Facebook and YouTube channels operated by expatriate Bangladeshis, of spreading anti-government propaganda. Many of these reports, especially those from Indian media, have been officially debunked by Dhaka.
In line with China's proposal, a focus group discussion was held on 28 May, chaired by Md Kawsar Ahmad, additional secretary of the information ministry, to explore joint measures to combat misinformation.
A ministry official, on condition of anonymity, told The Business Standard the letter from the Chinese embassy expressed a willingness to work together with the information ministry through a coordinated initiative.
He said, "The letter mentioned that China is aware of the false information being spread on various international media and online platforms regarding Bangladesh's political situation following the July mass uprising, and that China itself constantly faces similar challenges."
"China employs various strategies to counter misinformation globally, which could also be effective for Bangladesh. Therefore, a seminar has been proposed to be jointly organised by both countries, through which relevant officials from both sides can discuss their approaches and exchange ideas to become more enriched and effective," the official said, quoting from the focus group discussion report.
The report further states that a Chinese embassy official based in Dhaka has already been appointed as the focal point for joint efforts to combat misinformation, and the Chinese embassy has requested the information ministry of Bangladesh to nominate a focal point for organising the joint seminar, he added.
