Dhaka: BanglaFact, the fact-checking, media research, and analysis team of the Press Institute of Bangladesh (PIB), has identified disinformation in an Indian media report concerning the speech delivered by BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman at a historic mass reception marking his return to the country.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, BanglaFact stated that Tarique Rahman made no remarks about India throughout his entire speech. However, Indian media outlet ABP Ananda irrelevantly included the phrase “plan regarding India” in its headline without any contextual basis.
Tarique Rahman returned to the country on December 25 after a long 17 years. Upon his return, he addressed a reception ceremony held in the capital’s Purbachal 300-feet area, where he spoke about having a plan to build the future of Bangladesh.
Although he did not disclose the plan in detail, he sought cooperation from people of all walks of life to implement it. Before outlining his vision, Tarique recalled the historic “I Have a Dream” speech delivered 62 years ago by American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., echoing the phrase by saying, “I have a plan”.
In his speech, Tarique Rahman said: “Dear brothers and sisters, we want peace in the country. Have you heard the name Martin Luther King? He has a famous line, ‘I have a dream’. Today, standing on the soil of Bangladesh, before all of you, I want to say-as a member of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-I have a plan, for the people of my country, for my country. This plan is for the interests of the people of the country.”
While reporting on the speech, ABP Ananda published a story with the headline: “‘I have a plan…’, Explosive statement by Khaleda’s son upon returning to Bangladesh-plan regarding India?”
BanglaFact noted that the reference to India in the headline was completely irrelevant, as Tarique Rahman did not mention India at any point in his speech. The media outlet also failed to provide any explanation or justification for introducing the issue in its report.