In a sharp escalation of rhetorical barbs between India and Bangladesh, the Press Club of India (PCI) has condemned inflammatory remarks by Shafiqul Alam, the official spokesperson for Muhammad Yunus, who branded Indian and Western journalists as “bootlicking counterparts” for conducting recent interviews with ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The November 11 Facebook post by Alam, a former AFP bureau chief himself, has ignited outrage over press freedom and bilateral sensitivities, coming just days before the Awami League’s planned nationwide shutdown on November 13 to protest the interim government’s policies.
The controversy erupted against the backdrop of Hasina’s rare media engagements from her exile in New Delhi, where she has resided since fleeing Bangladesh on August 5, 2024, amid a student-led uprising that toppled her 15-year rule.
In a series of exclusive interviews published over the past week, including with The Week, The New Indian Express, Hindustan Times, and The Hindu, Hasina broke her relative silence, admitting for the first time to “mistakes” by security forces during the violent crackdown on protesters last year.
Interview With TNEI: Sheikh Hasina rebuffs graft charges, vows to return to electionsย
Interview With HT: Yunus is sponsoring extremists, says Sheikh Hasina
Interview With AFP: Sheikh Hasina blames foreign conspiracy for ouster
She also laid out preconditions for her return, demanding the restoration of “participatory democracy,” the lifting of bans on the Awami League (AL), and fair elections slated for early 2026. Hasina accused Yunus of fostering anti-India sentiment and exacerbating bilateral rifts while dismissing corruption allegations against her as “laughable.”
These revelations, drawn from written responses and video sittings, marked Hasina’s most candid reflections yet on the 2024 quota protests that spiralled into a revolution.
In her exchange with The Hindu, she acknowledged: “Mistakes were certainly made by security forces while responding to the uprising,” accepting “leadership responsibility” for the ensuing deaths but attributing much of the chaos to “conspiratorial forces” backed by opposition parties like the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
She expressed scepticism about the legitimacy of upcoming polls under Yunus’ administration, warning of a potential mass boycott by AL supporters if their party remains sidelinedโa threat echoed in her call for the November 13 “shutdown” to pressure the government.
Alam’s post, timestamped November 11, targeted these very interactions. “Western journalists and their Indian bootlicking associates are publishing these interviews without even being sure if the answers are really from Sheikh Hasina,” he wrote, implying the responses were fabricated or ghostwritten.
He accused the media of peddling AL propaganda to undermine the interim regime, which took power after Hasina’s flight and has since pursued reforms amid economic turmoil and political vendettas. Alam’s diatribe lumped together reporters from outlets like *The Week* (an Indian magazine) and international platforms, framing their work as sycophantic alignment with Hasina’s narrative.
The PCI, a premier body representing Indian journalists, responded swiftly with a statement on Tuesday, labelling the comments “especially reprehensible” given Alam’s background as a seasoned media professional.
Interview With Reuters: Sheikh Hasina champions fair, inclusive elections
Interview With The Independent: Sheikh Hasina stands tall, debunks propaganda
Sheikh Hasina: I am fine and have no health issues
“To describe professionals from responsible media outlets pursuing a genuine news story as โbootlickingโ journalists is certainly not expected from a person in a responsible position,” the statement read. It demanded an unconditional apology from Alam, underscoring that such rhetoric erodes the foundational principles of journalistic integrity and free expression.
The backlash resonates deeply in India, where Hasina has found refuge and quiet support from New Delhi, which views her as a bulwark against Islamist influences and a partner in regional stability. Bilateral ties, once robust under Hasina’s pro-India stance, have frayed under Yunus: Bangladesh has accused India of harbouring “war criminals” from the 1971 Liberation War, while New Delhi has raised alarms over attacks on Hindu minorities and the expulsion of Awami League figures.
Alam’s remarks, critics argue, exemplify a broader pattern of Dhaka’s interim leadership demonising Indian media as extensions of its foreign policy โ a charge echoed in previous spats over coverage of minority violence and economic aid.
Press freedom advocates see this as symptomatic of Bangladesh’s post-uprising media landscape. Reporters Without Borders ranks Bangladesh 163rd globally in its 2025 Press Freedom Index, citing harassment of pro-AL outlets and self-censorship under the Yunus regime. Ironically, Alam’s invective against “bootlickers” comes as his own government faces scrutiny for restricting AL-aligned voices, including a de facto ban on the party ahead of elections.
Indian journalists, meanwhile, have long navigated Bangladesh’s polarised discourse; during Hasina’s tenure, they enjoyed relative access, but the 2024 upheaval brought risks of mob violence and digital smears.
The Editors Guild of India echoed the PCI, calling for restraint to preserve cross-border reporting. In Dhaka, pro-government voices defended Alam, framing his post as a pushback against “disinformation,” but no official apology has materialized as of Wednesday morning.
As Bangladesh braces for the AL’s November 13 lockdownโa non-violent blockade demanding Hasina’s “honourable return” and political inclusionโthis episode underscores the fragility of India-Bangladesh relations. Yunus’ administration, tasked with steering the nation toward elections amid IMF bailouts and flood recovery, risks alienating New Delhi further. For the PCI, the stakes are clear: an apology isn’t just courtesy; it’s a litmus test for mutual respect in an era where journalism often bears the brunt of geopolitical storms.
Alam, reached via email late Tuesday, had not responded by press time. The PCI statement remains a clarion call: “We condemn such remarks and seek an apology from Mr. Alam.” In the corridors of South Block, diplomats watch closely โ for now, words like “bootlicker” may sting, but they could yet spill into colder winds.
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