Govt slams ‘reckless’ reporting over Inquilab Moncho-Police Clash
Staff Reporter:
The interim government on Saturday sharply criticised sections of the media for what it described as misleading and irresponsible reporting surrounding clashes between police and Inquilab Moncho activists in Dhaka, warning that unverified information had the potential to trigger serious unrest.
Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam expressed “deep concern” over reports published and broadcast on Friday that claimed an Inquilab Moncho leader had been shot during clashes with police while protesters were demanding justice for Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi.
In a post on his verified Facebook account, Alam said the government expected responsible journalism from media outlets, particularly at a time when they had enjoyed “unprecedented freedom” over the past 18 months.
“We expect responsible journalism from our media outlets,” he wrote, adding that despite this expanded freedom, many had repeatedly failed to carry out even the most basic journalistic checks.
According to the press secretary, Abdullah Al Jaber, a longtime associate of Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi, was injured during the clashes. Dozens of Inquilab Moncho supporters were also hurt and received treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Alam said the controversy escalated when a red-banner post appeared on Al Jaber’s Facebook account while he was being taken to hospital, claiming that he had been shot, using the Bangla word gulibiddha. The term, Alam noted, is highly charged and is widely understood to mean being struck by live bullets.
“The post quickly went viral and triggered serious tensions,” he said.
Despite the absence of official confirmation, several major television channels and newspapers treated the Facebook post as fact, running headlines and photocards stating that Inquilab Moncho leader Abdullah Al Jaber had been shot. The misinformation spread rapidly, Alam said, amplifying public anger and confusion.
The press secretary said the government immediately contacted the police, who categorically denied firing any shots. He added that under directives from the interim government, police no longer carry lethal weapons. The director of Dhaka Medical College Hospital later also confirmed that none of the injured protesters, including Al Jaber, had sustained gunshot wounds.
Emphasising the responsibility that comes with news gathering, Alam warned that a single mistake could incite violence, spark riots and create widespread chaos.
“Our newspapers and TV stations failed miserably in reporting yesterday’s clashes,” he said. “They did not merely fall for clickbait-they amplified it. Their lack of verification and basic journalistic rigor helped create an explosive situation.”
He said calm was eventually restored only after statements were issued by the interim government, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police and Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Drawing parallels with past incidents, Alam recalled that violence following the crash of an Air Force fighter jet at Milestone School had also been fuelled by inaccurate and sensational reporting. He said such reporting had helped create a lynch-mob situation, leaving several advisers and officials confined inside the school for more than nine hours, while another mob vandalised offices inside the Secretariat.
“Yesterday’s reckless clickbait journalism nearly produced a similar outcome,” he said.
Alam concluded by criticising what he described as a double standard within the profession, noting that journalists are often quick to lecture governments, politicians and powerful figures about accountability.
“But when it comes time to look in the mirror,” he said, “many choose to look away.”