False report Bangladesh 'banned Indian TV' fans tensions
- Published on January 27, 2025 at 10:23
- 2 min read
- By Eyamin Sajid, AFP Bangladesh
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"Indian satellite channels are banned in Bangladesh. Why is Yunus against the Indian media?" Indian news channel Republic Bangla wrote in a Facebook post to its 3.2 million followers on November 28, 2024.
Bangladesh's interim leader Muhammad Yunus has been a vocal critic of India for backing the iron-fisted rule of Sheikh Hasina, who was toppled in August in a student-led revolution (archived link).
The 77-year-old Hasina -- whose government is accused of widespread human rights abuses -- remains in New Delhi where she took refuge after her ouster.
The Facebook post shared a Republic Bangla news bulletin which claimed "all Indian satellite channels are shut in Bangladesh".
"The telecast is closed from today. Another example of anti-India sentiment in Bangladesh," reads a news ticker on screen.
Bangladeshi lawyers in November submitted a petition to the High Court seeking a ban on Republic Bangla for allegedly spreading false information and anti-Bangladesh propaganda (archived link).
A later petition called to prohibit the broadcast of all Indian television channels in the country (archived link).
The court has not yet ruled on either petition as of January 27, 2025.
However, Republic Bangla's report sparked a flurry of anti-Indian comments from members of the public who appeared to believe the ban had taken effect.
"Bangladesh is a peaceful country of civilized people, Indian channels cannot run here," one person commented on the Facebook post. "So I thank Dr Yunus. May Allah have mercy on him."
"Let the war with India be declared," another wrote.
Journalists at AFP's Dhaka bureau were able to watch Indian TV channels including Republic Bangla on January 27.
The president of the Cable Operators Association of Bangladesh (COAB), which oversees international satellite channels in the country, said on January 23 there had been no ban on Indian television channels.
"All the Indian channels are open here. The news that has spread online is totally fake," ABM Saiful Hossain Sohel told AFP.
Ahammad Foyez, a spokesman for the chief advisor's office, also told AFP on January 26 that the government had taken no such decision.
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