People who engage in anti-Bangladesh propaganda abroad to be punished, PM tells JS

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday told Parliament that the government is working to punish Bangladeshis who are engaged in propaganda against the country and the government abroad.

"The government has been working to bring those...to book and punish," she said.

She said those people are engaged in anti-government activities and they regularly make provocative and fabricated statements from abroad.

The PM made the statement while replying to a question from Awami League lawmaker Nur Uddin Chowdhary Nayan (Laxmipur-2) during the question-answer session in the House.

She said the expatriate Bangladeshis brighten the name and image of Bangladesh through their positive activities in the host countries alongside sending remittance. They can play role to protect the interests of Bangladesh, staying in the host countries, she added.

"Alongside playing the positive role by the expatriate Bangladeshis, unfortunately some people among the expatriate Bangladeshis are engaged in propaganda against the country and the government," said the PM.

She also mentioned that steps have been taken to brighten the image of Bangladesh and stop propaganda abroad.

Hasina said regular efforts continue to publish factual news stories and articles in international media for depicting the positive image of Bangladesh and facing propaganda.

If an untrue and propaganda story is published in the international media, the public diplomacy wing of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sends objective and factual rejoinder to the news outlets, she said.

The fabricated and baseless social media posts of those who spread propaganda are under watch, said the PM.