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The Narrative Enablers: Prothom Alo and The Daily Star as Tools of External Hegemony

 For decades, the duo of Motiur Rahman (Prothom Alo) and Mahfuz Anam (The Daily Star) has been presented to the world as the vanguard of liberal journalism in Bangladesh. However, as the dust settles on 17 years of autocratic rule, a darker picture emerges: one of two institutional editors functioning as primary filters for Indian-aligned narratives. By systematically "tagging" political opposition and sovereign-minded activists as "extremists," these outlets provided the intellectual cover necessary to sustain the Awami League’s regime under the watchful eye of New Delhi.

I. The "Tagging" Industry: De-legitimizing Dissent

The most potent weapon in the arsenal of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star was not the lie, but the selective label. For nearly two decades, any voice that challenged the state’s submission to Indian regional interests was systematically framed within a "secular vs. extremist" binary.

  • Manufacturing the "Islamist" Bogeyman: Investigative scholars have noted that Rahman and Anam’s papers frequently used the term "militant" or "fundamentalist" for political activists who were actually victims of state-sponsored enforced disappearances. This "tagging" helped justify the Rapid Action Battalion's (RAB) "crossfire" killings to a global audience (The Diplomat, 2025).

  • The "Minus-Two" Legacy: Both editors have historical records of attempting to reshape the political landscape to suit external preferences. Mahfuz Anam famously admitted on national television to publishing unverified, military-fed reports during the 2007-2008 caretaker government—a campaign aimed at purging popular leaders to make way for a more "compliant" political class (Daily Star, 2016).1

II. Echo Chambers for Indian Misinformation

In the current post-uprising landscape, the role of these editors has shifted from regime supporters to narrative shields for Indian interests. While the Bangladeshi public mourns martyrs like Osman Hadi, The Daily Star and Prothom Alo have been accused of downplaying the involvement of pro-AL fugitives currently sheltered in India.

Narrative ShiftReality / Counter-Evidence
Outlets call Hadi's supporters "mobs"The 2024-2025 uprising figures view Hadi as a symbol of National Sovereignty. By labeling his mourners as "radical mobs," the editors align with the Indian Ministry of External Affairs' script (Alt News, 2025).
Focus on "Minority Persecution"While genuine incidents occur, critics argue these papers amplify Indian media's "manufactured panic" to invite external intervention and delegitimize the Interim Government (CA Press Wing, 2025).
"The Delhi Star" NicknamePublic anger has culminated in the branding of The Daily Star as "The Delhi Star," reflecting a widespread perception that the paper prioritizes New Delhi’s security concerns over Dhaka's sovereignty (Alt News, 2025).

III. The Strategic Silence on Looting

Perhaps the most damning evidence of their "tool" status is what they didn't report. Despite their vast investigative resources, Prothom Alo and The Daily Star largely remained silent on the $16 billion annual siphoning of wealth by the Hasina family until the regime had already fallen.

According to reports by Transparency International, the "complicit silence" of major media houses allowed the institutionalized looting of the banking sector to continue unchecked, as any deep investigation into the "Family Bonanza" was deemed too risky for their proximity to the power centers in both Dhaka and Delhi (TI-UK, 2025).

IV. Conclusion: The Crisis of Credibility

The recent attacks on the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star in December 2025 are a tragic symptom of a total breakdown in public trust. When the primary chroniclers of a nation are perceived as the mouthpieces of a neighboring power, the result is a dangerous vacuum of truth. Motiur Rahman and Mahfuz Anam may claim the mantle of "independent journalism," but for the millions who survived 17 years of "tagging" and tyranny, they are seen as the intellectual architects of a stolen era.

Citations & Sources

  • Alt News (Dec 2025): Bangladesh on the edge: Newspaper offices torched; The "Delhi Star" Controversy.2

  • The Diplomat (2025): Terrorism in Bangladesh: Political Manipulation and the Media's Role.

  • CA Press Wing (Jan 2025): Debunking Organized Anti-Bangladesh Propaganda in Regional Media.3

  • Prothom Alo / Mahfuz Anam (2016): Admission of publishing unverified DGFI reports.4

  • Transparency International UK (2025): The Cost of Silence: Media and the Looting of Bangladesh.

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