Media coverage of Bangladesh is generally appalling for a number of reasons that aren't particularly empowering to retell, so I was happy to learn that the Al Jazeera Investigations team were releasing something which promised justice-making learning juice.
So many have been killed, injured, disappeared, bereaved, terrified, pauperised, stolen from and misled at this point that anything is welcome. I will comment on the programme as it unfolds into this world but for now please watch it for some insight into the devilish regime holding the futures of 160 million souls at gunpoint.
The mantras deployed by the powerful to make this go away are interesting to follow.
Government's rebuttal (1st Feb)
Blames Jamaat off the bat and goes at David Bergman for the actual crime of disputing Bangladesh war death numerology in a completely different document. Bangladesh is secular democratic development miracle, how dare you embarrass us in front of our development funders, property investment opportunities, gun runners and alternative citizenship providers.
Military rebuttal (3rd Feb)
Highlights include admitting poor due diligence and exposing their UN Peacekeeping gravy train.
Awami League next Generation critique of the documentary (5th Feb)
Prime Minister Hasina's Foreign Affairs Adviser Gowher Rizvi interviewed on DW (10th Feb)
Kanak Sarwar's very illuminating interview with writer retd Capt Shahidul Islam below ( Bangla) (15 Feb) A Must Watch
The unfortunate folks in charge of comms at Bangladesh Army HQ issue a fuller vituperative response ( 16 Feb)
