Why is the Indian media looking at Bangladesh through Taslima Nasrin's lens?

If you are a regular on Facebook, you have probably noticed how, in recent weeks, exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasrin has been relentlessly claiming that Mahfuj Alam, special assistant to the chief adviser of the interim government Dr Muhammad Yunus, is the leader of Hizb-ut-Tahrir.

This all began when Dr Yunus introduced Mahfuj as the "mastermind" behind the July Revolution during his speech at the Clinton Global Initiative, held on the sidelines of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly on 25 September.

Just three days later, on the 28th, Taslima took to Facebook, asserting that Mahfuj is the leader of the banned political organisation Hizb-ut-Tahrir, basing her claims on "media reports she had read."

Despite facing significant backlash for spreading what many considered misinformation, she refused to back down. That same day, she shared an article from Kolkata's leading daily, Anandabazar Patrika, which quoted her claim that Mahfuj is indeed the leader of Hizb-ut-Tahrir.

The Anandabazar Patrika report also included other clear misinformation. It claimed that the two young individuals Dr Yunus invited on stage, acknowledging their significant role in the movement, were Shuchismita Tithi and Nayem Ali, both recently appointed as assistant press secretaries to him.

However, in reality, neither Shuchismita nor Nayem went to New York; it was actually Ayesha Siddiqa Tithi and Zahin Razeen who were present at the event.

While people on social media were busy debunking Taslima's claims, she persisted in trying to reinforce them. She shared another link from TV9 Bangla, a media outlet that also quoted her allegations.

A few days ago, she further stoked controversy by posting a photo card from a Facebook page called Friday Post, which stated: "Mahfuj Alam is the leader of Bangladesh's banned organisation Hizb ut-Tahrir – Anandabazar Patrika."

She added no caption, leaving her followers to draw their own conclusions—implying that the "fact" of Mahfuj being the leader of Hizb ut-Tahrir had now been verified by a reputable mainstream media outlet like Anandabazar Patrika.

The actions of the internationally renowned author quickly sparked a wave of memes and trolling on social media, with many people questioning her motives and even speculating about her mental state.

This highlights a classic case of circular reporting. Simply put, circular reporting (or false confirmation) happens when information appears to come from multiple sources, but in reality, it all traces back to just one.

This can occur when one outlet publishes fake news, and another picks it up, making the original source use the second one as "proof" that the information is true.

That's exactly what unfolded in the Taslima Nasrin-Mahfuj Alam controversy, as she made a claim, and then tried to support it by linking to several sources, all of which traced back to her own original post.

What's even more surprising is that this isn't the first time Indian mainstream media has reported on Taslima's Facebook posts as news, without verifying the facts themselves.

Recently, Taslima Nasrin shared a document about a teacher in Bangladesh who converted from Hinduism to Islam. The teacher claimed he "found science in the Quran," which influenced his decision. However, Taslima disputed this claim, suggesting that there was some hidden agenda behind it.

While no Bangladeshi media covered this story, Hindustan Times Bangla published a report based solely on Taslima's Facebook post, adding that they "did not verify the authenticity of the document."

This raises a question: why would a mainstream outlet publish a story without verifying it, especially when the information comes from a Facebook post by someone who isn't a journalist and isn't even in Bangladesh?

The Business Standard independently attempted to verify the report and was told by family members of the teacher in question that he was "struggling with mental health issues."

Since Sheikh Hasina's downfall on August 5, Taslima has made several posts painting Bangladesh in a negative light, particularly focusing on the rise of Islamic extremism. Some Indian media outlets have quoted her, reinforcing her claims.

This points to a pattern: Indian media seem to be viewing Bangladesh through Taslima Nasrin's perspective—a perspective that emphasises Islamic extremism and the idea that extremists were behind the fall of Sheikh Hasina's regime, and are now in control of the country.

Looking deeper, it's clear that the Indian media often relies on Taslima to shape their narrative about Bangladesh. In a recent interview with Hindi-language news channel Aaj Tak, Taslima mentioned she's enjoying her time in India, but that her stay hasn't been officially extended by the central government after a month and a half.

Despite the controversies surrounding her in Bangladesh, Taslima is a globally recognised figure for free speech and human rights advocacy. Her works, translated into multiple languages, have earned her a strong international following, particularly in Western countries where she's admired for her feminist and secularist views.

Her influence even extends into film. The 2014 movie Nirbashito, directed by Churni Ganguly and based on her real-life banishment, was a hit in Kolkata. The film won several awards, including India's National Film Award, and helped bring her story to a global audience.

On top of all these, she was born a Muslim and carries that heritage in her name, even if she no longer practises the faith. This background makes her an ideal choice to discuss Islamic extremism and become a "voice" of her native country, from which she had to flee three decades ago.

By establishing the narrative that Bangladesh is becoming an Islamic extremist country, India can certainly push the idea not only to its own citizens but also to Western leaders—some of whom have a good rapport with Dr Yunus—that Sheikh Hasina's secular government was, in fact, better for Bangladesh, and whoever comes to power next will likely not hold the ideologies that are favoured by the West.

Portraying Bangladesh as an Islamic extremist country can also create a supportive environment for Indian extremists, noted Nahid Islam, adviser of Information and Broadcasting to Bangladesh's interim government, in a recent seminar.

Apart from Anandabazar Patrika and Taslima Nasrin, he also mentioned the name of the Economic Times, another mainstream Indian media that had also written earlier about Mahfuj's "alleged alliance" to the outlawed radical outfit, without any proof.  

Nahid, recently featured in Time100 Next 2024, pointed out that the misinformation campaigns targeting individuals like Mahfuj Alam are not just distorting the political situation in Bangladesh but also shaping how people in India and around the world see it. This could potentially validate the fears and actions of extremist groups within India.

To put it in context, a recent report from the US Commission on International Religious Freedom recommended classifying India as a "Country of Particular Concern" due to serious violations of religious freedom. The report highlighted laws like the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens, which disproportionately target Muslims, along with a rise in violence against Muslims by vigilante groups often linked to the ruling BJP.

The report also noted an increase in hostilities, including hate speech from political leaders and more violence after Hindu nationalist events.

This is something we should be concerned about too. By promoting narratives that portray neighbouring countries with large Muslim populations, like Bangladesh, as hotbeds of extremism, Indian media may be reinforcing domestic narratives that justify their policies toward Muslims. This could also endanger Hindu minorities in Bangladesh.

Our interim government must take a more proactive stance in the coming days, instead of giving in to the unfair demands or false claims of Islamic extremist groups—like what happened with the recent dissolution of the committee revising textbooks.

While it's clear that some media in our neighbouring country are quick to paint a negative picture of Bangladesh, we shouldn't make it easy for them. Yes, there have been some instances of Islamic extremism in Bangladesh, but not to the extent claimed by Indian media or figures like Taslima Nasrin. That's why it's important to address these issues early and prevent them from escalating.