The recent airing of a documentary by Deutsche Welle (DW) regarding the involvement of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) officials in United Nations missions has sparked controversy and intense debate in Bangladesh. In response, the Information & Broadcast Minister of Bangladesh, M A Arafat, made a statement that raised more eyebrows than it provided clarity or defense. He said, “But I would like to ask the DW to prove its commitment to human rights and press freedom by making a documentary on the human rights violation and genocide in Gaza”. He further added, “If the DW could not do it, the documentary will be treated as motivated and a part of an anti-Bangladesh conspiracy being carried out by a vested quarter, which does not talk about the problems and development of the marginalized people in real sense and try to tarnish the country’s image at the global stage”.

This response from a government representative not only deflects from the actual issue at hand but also muddles the discourse, making it a complete blunderbuss statement. Such an unscrupulous comment from a responsible figure highlights a troubling trend of public officials making ill-considered and often counterproductive remarks.

By challenging DW to produce a documentary on Gaza, State Minister Arafat inadvertently implied that the DW documentary on RAB officials is indeed accurate and trustworthy. His demand for DW to also address other global issues, like the Gaza conflict, does not discredit the allegations against RAB; rather, it shifts the focus. This approach suggests an admission of the documentary’s........

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