'Hate Speech': Bangladesh Tribunal Orders Social Media Ban On Ex-PM Hasina's Remarks

Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal on Thursday ordered that remarks made by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina be removed from all social media platforms right away. The tribunal termed her recent speech "hate speech" and said they were worried that her statements could affect the ongoing investigations against her by the interim government.

Hasina's comments, which became very popular earlier this week, were made during an online speech at an Awami League event in New York. In her speech, Hasina accused Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus of planning mass killings and religious violence in Bangladesh. She claimed that Yunus and his student helpers were responsible for attacks on Hindu temples, including ISKCON sites, and other places of worship for minorities. "Today, I have been accused of mass killings. In reality, it is Muhammad Yunus who is responsible for mass killings through a deliberate plan," Hasina said.

The comments sparked a huge controversy, with critics questioning when and how the allegations were brought. Local news reports highlighted ICT-BD prosecutor Golam Monawar Hossain Tamim, who feared that Hasina's leaked speeches and phone calls, which circulated on social media and online portals, would hamper the investigation initiated by the interim government against her.

The tribunal, headed by Justice Md Golam Mortuza, directed Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to remove within a couple of days all editions of speeches by Hasina that became controversial from national as well as international social media platforms like Facebook and X.

Prosecuting lawyer Abdullah Al Noman, who filed the petition with a request to ban speeches of Hasina, said that order from the tribunal would be forwarded to international platforms as well. "We will arrange to have the order of the tribunal written to the concerned authorities of international forums," Noman said.

This is significant because the tribunal was an outcome of Hasina's own government under the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act. It was to probe into and punish the crimes that had been committed during the 1971 Liberation War, genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity by the Pakistani forces and their local helpers.

Speaking minutes after the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das, Bangladesh Minister in charge of Home Affairs Sheikh Hasina said, 'He is a spokesman of Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatan Jagran Jote, also ISKCON Bangladesh who had been detained by the interim administration'. She condemned the arrest while demanding Das' immediate release by pointing out the growing religious persecution of minorities in Bangladesh- 'particularly Hindus'. She mentioned several acts of violence including the burning of temples in Chittagong and attacks on places where different religious groups worship.
 
"The safety of life and property of people from all communities should be protected," Hasina said, criticizing the reported attacks on the Ahmadiyya community, mosques, shrines, churches, and monasteries around the country since she resigned in August 2023.