Dhaka, Bangladesh — Sajeeb Wazed, ICT former advisor to the former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has sharply criticized the BBC over what he called a “shameful” and “deceptive” piece of journalism. In a Facebook post, Wazed alleged that an audio clip aired by the BBC in its recent coverage was not from 2024, as claimed, but actually from July 1, 2016 — the day of the Holey Artisan Bakery terrorist attack in Dhaka’s Gulshan area.
According to Wazed, the broadcast in question features a 2016 counterterrorism directive issued during Operation Thunderbolt, which was carried out to neutralize militants at the Holey Artisan Bakery. He accused Nobel Laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus and his associates of manipulating the date and content of the recording to portray it as a recent government action from 2024.
“This is a deliberate and fraudulent attempt to deceive the international audience,” Wazed stated in both English and Bengali posts. He labeled the act as “a stain on BBC’s credibility” and used the hashtag #YunusMustGo to emphasize his call for accountability.
In another post, Wazed described the BBC’s investigative piece titled “Custom Investigation” as “a shameless example of unethical journalism.”
These allegations come amid heightened tensions between the Awami League leadership and Yunus, who is currently facing legal and political challenges within Bangladesh. The controversy is likely to fuel ongoing debates over press freedom, international media ethics, and political maneuvering in the country.
The BBC has yet to respond publicly to Wazed’s claims.
