On August 5, the student-led protests in Bangladesh that first began in response to a preferential government job quota system and then evolved into a representation of anger toward the increasingly authoritarian government culminated in Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fleeing the country on a helicopter. In the days after Hasina’s ousting, Indian disinformation narratives misrepresenting […]

Archived link

On August 5, the student-led protests in Bangladesh that first began in response to a preferential government job quota system and then evolved into a representation of anger toward the increasingly authoritarian government culminated in Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fleeing the country on a helicopter. In the days after Hasina’s ousting, Indian disinformation narratives misrepresenting or exaggerating widespread persecution of Hindus and other religious minorities skyrocketed.

This type of Indian disinformation is not new to the South Asian region. A 15-year disinformation campaign referred to as the “Indian Chronicles” aimed to serve Indian interests by destabilizing Pakistan and amplifying pro-Indian interests, influencing international organizations through at least 750 fake news outlets across 119 countries. According to the World Economic Forum’s 2024 Global Risk Report, India ranks highest for the risk of misinformation and disinformation due to the virality of online dangerous rhetoric and propaganda driven by high levels of polarization and media distrust.