CA press wing denies rumours of national flag change
The Chief Adviser’s Press Wing has debunked claims that Bangladesh’s interim government is considering altering the national flag, calling them "completely false."
“A false claim has been widely circulating across several websites and social media platforms, including X (formerly Twitter), alleging that Bangladesh's interim government is considering altering its national flag,” the Press Wing said in a statement posted on its verified Facebook page, CA Press Wing Facts.
According to the statement, the rumour—amplified by dozens of users, including Sajeeb Wazed Joy, son of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina—falsely asserts that an Islamic crescent and star, resembling symbols commonly associated with Pakistan and Turkey, would be added to the Bangladeshi flag.
The Press Wing said a digitally fabricated image showing a redesigned flag has gone viral, amassing nearly one million views and significant engagement, particularly from users in Pakistan, Turkey, and the Middle East.
“These claims are entirely false,” the statement said.
As of June 14, 2025, no credible Bangladeshi media outlet has reported any such plan or discussion about changing the flag's design. “There is no basis for nationwide discussion on a decision that doesn’t exist, nor has any domestic or international reliable news source mentioned such a move,” it added.
Bangladeshi fact-checking outlet The Dissent reported that Sajeeb Wazed Joy propagated a false article titled “Bangladesh Considers Adding Islamic Crescent to Its Flag, Mirroring Pakistan and Turkey”, written by an AI-generated author named Robert Brown and published on June 6.
The article, which contained no citations, evidence, or traceable sources, appears to have originated from a post made on June 4 by the pro-Pakistan X account @SouthAsiaIndex, which first shared a mock design of a new Bangladeshi flag. This same image was later used in the fake article shared by Wazed.
The Press Wing said the misinformation campaign seems deliberately designed to exploit religious symbolism and provoke identity-based outrage, particularly among nationalist or conservative audiences.
It added that the so-called redesigned flag was created using AI-generated imagery, highlighting the fabricated nature of the entire claim.
This is not the first time such narratives have surfaced. Following mass protests in Bangladesh in July, several accounts—including @AsianDigest—falsely claimed that student leaders had proposed a new national flag. That post garnered over 90,000 views before being thoroughly debunked.
The Press Wing urged social media users to exercise caution and verify claims before sharing. “There is no movement in Bangladesh advocating for a change in its national flag. These fabricated stories serve only to distort the truth and create unnecessary division,” the statement said.
“Let us prioritise factual information and resist the spread of unfounded rumours,” it concluded.
