Bangladesh government warns media against broadcasting Sheikh Hasina's remarks
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The Bangladesh government has warned media organisations against broadcasting or reporting remarks made by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, saying legal action could be taken for violating court directives.
The warning came after Hasina, who left Bangladesh in 2024 following protests against her government, gave an interview to NDTV last week.
According to reports, Information and Broadcasting Adviser Zahed Ur Rahman said reporting Hasina's remarks was "completely prohibited" and directed media outlets to comply with the court's instructions.
"Despite the court's ban, some media are broadcasting her speech, which is completely inappropriate. So, the media must be more responsible in publishing news and showing respect to the law. On behalf of the Ministry of Information, we initially urge them to refrain from this act," he said.
Rahman added that while the government was not taking strict action immediately, continued violation of the court's directions could invite legal action.
"We hope that our media outlets will play a responsible role. However, if this trend of disobeying the court's instructions continues, legal action will be taken in this regard," he said.
Rahman also said the BNP-led government had "always considered the media as its friend."
In her interview with NDTV, Hasina said she intended to return to Bangladesh this year despite what she described as repeated conspiracies against her.
She also expressed concern over attacks on Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, indigenous and Ahmadi communities, alleging that temples had been vandalised and religious minorities continued to face violence and insecurity. Hasina claimed the current BNP government, like the interim administration before it, had denied or dismissed such incidents as political propaganda.