‘Reports misquoting me tried to create adverse situation between Bangladesh, US’

Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has said that he feels journalists of the country “have weaknesses and lack maturity” when reporting.

The minister said this after paying homage to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at his mausoleum in Tungipara this afternoon.

Talking about the media “misquoting” him recently, Momen said that the headlines used were “false and imaginary”.

“Media outlets including print, electronic and online published news with headlines saying I had called the USA ‘a war-mongering country’, which I certainly didn’t say. The headings had no connection with what I actually said. I think our journalists have weaknesses and I’ll be happy if they gain maturity,” Momen said.

Momen added that the reports “misquoting him” put Bangladesh in an awkward position and the US may get a wrong impression about the country and this government.

“Through misrepresenting the facts, our journalists have tried to create an adverse situation between the US and Bangladesh. Either these journalists didn’t know Bangla properly, or they had done this with specific reasons. They need to research why such low quality journalism prevails in the country,” Momen added.

The foreign minister further said that journalism in Bangladesh doesn’t have the standards, moral and ethical values it used to have in the past.

“It’s a shame for those journalists who wrote those false stories,” Momen said.

Momen said he was misquoted on October 26 by some media outlets after he spoke at the seminar on "Sheikh Hasina at the United Nations", organised by the Progressive Columnist Forum of Bangladesh at Jatiya Press Club in the capital.

Later, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) issued a rejoinder, saying that misleading and baseless news quoting Foreign Minister Momen sent a wrong message to the people and the government of the US.