This is a complex and controversial situation, which highlights various aspects of the political and social context of Bangladesh. What is happening here is that Sajeeb Wazed Joy, son of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, shared a false information and later removed it. Such incidents have created a big discussion, especially among the government's supporters, tension and doubts about the authenticity of the information.
After the post was removed, Shafiqul Alam, who is currently serving as the interim government's chief adviser and press secretary, has strongly criticized Joy. Shafiqul Alam said that the information he and his colleagues have complained about is completely false and propaganda. He mentioned that it is harmful propaganda against the government. Meanwhile, the way the news spread on social media, several people questioned the credibility of the website.
Post description and Shafiqul Alam's response:
Joy's post was shared with a link to a website that claimed to have exposed the accounts of Shafiqul Alam and other prominent political figures on cryptocurrency exchange platform Binance. The link quickly spread on social media and many believed it, leading to widespread discussion. However, many expressed doubts about the website. According to many, it is a fake website created to spread propaganda.
Shafiqul Alam, in his response, said that he had known for a long time that the website was fake and that it was not credible. He claimed that he had already disclosed his assets and financial transactions and that he had not earned any illegal money. He also mentioned that he only has an account with a state-owned bank and does not have any credit or debit cards.
Shafiqul Alam further said that the information spread in Joy's post is completely false and fabricated. He said that Joy's behavior is "a kind of genetic disease" inherited from her mother (Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina). Shafiqul Alam jokingly said in this post, "This is a sign of her lying from her mother", where he humorously mentioned that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina once told journalists that her peon earned Tk 400 crore, which later on investigation was found to be incorrect and more than Tk 630 crore.
Another important point comes up here, which is the role of social media and the rapid spread of news through it. When Sajeeb Wazed Joy's post went viral, many believed it. However, some people checked the facts and analyzed the website and realized that it was actually a blog site and not a proper media outlet. A Facebook user named Suman Ali mentioned that the website is actually a WordPress blog site, which is being run by another person, Aminul Haque Palash. Palash, who was once a member of the Chhatra League at BUET and is currently seeking political asylum in the UK, is running this blog site. Suman Ali also said that most of the posts on the site are against the current government and are based on completely false information.
After the post was removed, Shafiqul Alam commented on another post. He said, “Tathababa woke up and shared a fake news with me about Nahid Islam and Asif Mahmud. He removed it a few hours later.” He again referred to this as a sarcastic comment, where he also brought up the topic of the “genetic disease” of lying inherited from his mother, naming Joy.
Meanwhile, despite the removal of Sajeeb Wazed Joy's post, the discussion on the issue continued on social media. Many expressed their views against the spread of such fake news and demanded strict action against such propaganda activities.
The incident has further complicated the social, political and informational situation in Bangladesh. Fake information or rumors spread on social media can cause tension between the government and the opposition, especially when it comes from a high-ranking figure. Although Sajeeb Wazed Joy has since removed his post, it has sparked a debate on the need to ensure the authenticity of digital media and information in Bangladesh. Many believe that this has increased the need to be more vigilant and aware, especially when doubts are raised about the reliability of news and information.
