UK based international news medium Financial Times has published a distorted and misleading article titled “Bangladesh poll seen as a choice between freedom and prosperity.”
Several Awami League (AL) leaders have questioned the veracity of the article which quotes a Bangladeshi writer residing in Sweden as saying that AL has links with Al Qaida and other radical Islamist parties.
To clarify the position, AL’s Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif told Bangla Tribune, “Several religious parties wanted to enter into the pact, but that did not happen.”
The Financial Times report also states that AL has given nomination to more than 30 Hefazat-e-Islam candidates. AL did not give nomination to any Hefazat man and these falsehoods cannot be used to mislead the nation, he added.
Member of the AL presidium panel, Col (retd) Faruk Khan, told Bangla Tribune, “We did not give nomination to anyone from Hefazat.”
Only one Islamist party, Tarikat Foundation is going to polls with AL because they believe in the spirit of independence and works with Sufism.
The FT mistakenly says that Sheikh Hasina has elevated madrasa education on par with Honours though the government recognized students who have passed Daorae Hadis as post graduates.
The report also accuses the government of human rights violations. Editor in chief of Gazi TV, Syed Ishtiaque Reza, says, “Most western media prints articles on Bangladesh without proper verification.”
They usually talk to sources which do not provide them with authentic information, he deplored.