Letter to US lawmakers

Subject: Addressing Disinformation on Bangladesh in Bangladesh-US Bilateral Relationship 

As the new administration in the United States takes over its responsibilities and sets our foreign policy, we are writing to bring your attention to an important issue of concern for Bangladeshi Americans. Bangladesh is a secular democracy and a longstanding US strategic partner in national security, trade and humanitarian efforts. However, following the August 5 ousting of former autocratic Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, a coordinated disinformation campaign against Bangladesh’s new government is being waged by Indian media, politicians, many Indian Americans, as well as Hasina loyalists in the US who have stolen billions from the country. 

As you are aware, the Government of India is now hosting Sheikh Hasina, who was toppled by a student revolution. A major investigative report has come out this week from the UN Human Rights Council documenting possible crimes against humanity which led to 1,400 dead and 13,529 injured under Hasina’s direct orders. India is closely allied to Hasina and her party Awami League, and has economic, financial, and geopolitical stakes in Bangladesh, therefore we expect PM Modi to continue to raise unfounded concerns about the new interim government of Bangladesh led by Nobel Laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus, which may influence the direction of US policy. It is in American interests to have direct and focused bilateral relationships with Bangladesh, rather than through proxy. 

Bangladesh is the world’s eighth-most populous country and one that has begun an important transition back to democracy after the fall of the authoritarian Hasina regime (2009-2024). According to the US Department of State’s annual report on human rights practices, under Hasina, the citizens of Bangladesh experienced “significant human rights abuses” including “arbitrary or unlawful killings, enforced disappearances; torture or cruel, inhuman, degrading treatment or punishment by the government; serious restrictions on freedom of expression and media freedom” and more. During this time, PM Modi supported Hasina in exchange for security and economic benefits, overlooking her suppression of democracy. We believe that India is attempting to discredit the Yunus-led government in an attempt to pave the way for Hasina’s return. And this disinformation campaign is now going global. 

Bangladesh has been facing an uphill battle of combating this orchestrated disinformation campaign from Indian media and government sources (aided by US-based Hasina supporters) which are falsely framing Bangladesh’s democratic transition as a rise in Islamist extremism. This Foreign Policy article notes that Bangladesh remains secular with Islamist parties not receiving no more than 5-6% of the vote in national elections. The World Economic Forum has noted in its Global Risk report that India ranks the highest for disinformation and misinformation. Independent fact checking organizations, RumorScanner, and Tech Global Institute have also found that since August 5, 2024, Indian media outlets have spread disinformation across X, YouTube, and Facebook, with:       

•       74% outright falsehoods
•       24% misleading claims

including use of deep fakes and calls for violence.

The key disinformation tactics by Indian government media sources include: 

- Exaggerating isolated incidents as widespread Islamist violence.
Using AI deepfakes to claim Bangladesh’s government is tied to extremists.

- Amplifying false claims of Hindu persecution—mirroring Russian disinformation tactics from the Black Lives Matter movement.

- Orchestrating “minority rights campaigns” to create a false grassroots narrative.

- Legitimizing propaganda through US-based lobbying networks affiliated with the Hasina regime

As evidenced by recent unfortunate statements from Rep. Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) and Rep. Thanedar (D-MI), policymakers are already being misled by this propaganda. We are overwhelmed by the significant magnitude of resources, media and social media presence of organized Hindu nationalist groups behind this campaign. These groups have conducted briefings directly with US policymakers exaggerating attacks on Hindu minorities in Bangladesh. The activities of Hindu nationalist groups in India in influencing PM Modi’s policy towards Indian’s neighbors is well documented in this Foreign Policy article, which notes how “the adherence of Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to Hindu nationalist ideology has played a major role in harming India’s regional interests, especially in Bangladesh.”

Recommendations for US Lawmakers

        1.      Conduct independent investigations into reports of communal violence in Bangladesh.
        2.      Educate Congress on the scale of Indian-backed disinformation against Bangladesh.
        3.      Support the democratic aspirations of the Bangladeshi people and their chosen leaders and formulate a new US policy towards Bangladesh independent of India’s interests.

For over 50 years, the US-Bangladesh alliance has strengthened regional security and economic cooperation. Bangladesh has been a key partner in counterterrorism, and its interim government, led by Dr. Muhammad Yunus, has expressed interest in working with the Trump administration to safeguard US investments and strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific.

We request your written response on the actions you plan to take and welcome the opportunity for further discussions.

Sincerely,

Bangladesh-America Alliance