Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s Additional Press Secretary Atiqur Rahman Rumon alleged that a certain group had engineered some incidents in the country to push his New York visit and Bangladesh’s UN engagements out of the news cycle.

He made the claim at a press conference at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tejgaon, but did not identify the groups or say which incidents he believed had been orchestrated.

Rumon said the incidents diverted media attention just as the government expected coverage and discussion of Rahman’s participation in the 81st UN General Assembly and the outcome of his New York visit.

“We expected that after returning home, there would be media reports on Bangladesh’s success at the United Nations and discussions on talk shows,” Rumon said.

“But that was precisely when all these incidents were made to happen. As a result, the entire media became occupied with those incidents.”

Rumon alleged that the incidents were part of an organised attempt to destabilise the country and diminish what he described as the government’s achievements in New York.

He also accused groups opposed to the government of following the same “formula” as the previous administration, which he described as a “fugitive fascist government.”

During the briefing, Rumon highlighted the government’s five-point proposal on the Rohingya crisis, its calls for climate justice and financing, and a “3R” proposal for Bangladesh’s reconstruction.

He questioned how much detailed media coverage those issues had received.

The Prime Minister’s Office had called Wednesday’s briefing to discuss Rahman’s UN engagements, meetings with world leaders and the broader outcome of his New York visit.

Rumon said Rahman maintained a packed schedule in New York, beginning at around 7:30 a.m. and continuing until midnight.

He urged people to cooperate with the government, saying the prime minister had taken charge at a “fragile” time and wanted to build a prosperous Bangladesh.

--