We condemn the ill-motivated report made by a vested group in the news channel Al Jazeera titled 'All the Prime Minister's Men' aired on 02 February 2021. It is good to note that our government has issued a quick response addressing the report as a politically motivated "smear" campaign which is "false" and "defamatory" and instigated by extremists and their allies.
Reportedly, the commentators of the report are David Bergman, a convict of the International Crimes Tribunal, and Zulkarnain Saer Khan, an ex-cadet expelled from Bangladesh Military Academy on charges of drug addiction. The report also featured the statement of Tasneem Khalil, who has links with the anti-liberation forces and went into self-exile during the caretaker government to escape trial.
What Al-Jazeera reported is
unexpected, futile and
concocted
It is worth mentioning that the principal commentator of the report David Bergman began a global campaign to save the Jamaat people who had committed war crimes during the Liberation War. Therefore, it is clear that the report is a sequel created by the same vested group which has been attempting to tarnish the country’s image by spreading fabricated news and propaganda.
It is disconcerting that an international news channel like Al Jazeera is creating room for such an ill-motivated group of people with criminal records. Needless to say, by doing so, Al Jazeera is supporting the extremist groups’ hostile political strategy aimed at destabilising the democratic government of Bangladesh.
What Al Jazeera reported is unexpected, futile and pointless. It is clearly an attempt by the vested group to break the harmony among different government organs. Indeed, such an approach exposes Al Jazeera's lack of acumen in terms of reporting.
The channel’s irresponsible news broadcasting is a slap on the face of journalism. We hope that Al Jazeera will realize its mistakes and practise authentic journalism in future.