AP report

The dispatch from Gauhati gave a detailed account of a 'gunfight' and 'casualties' that could not have occurred without a heavy engagement between two armed groups . Our first question is why an international news agency of AP's stature failed to check it up with its Dhaka bureau . What did they do to ensure the authenticity of the highly sensitive news that would surely have an impact on bilateral ties between India and Bangladesh? Even a lay person would instantly realise that it was not the kind of news that could be released without due verification.

Our government termed it a trash and AP also acknowledged the mistake. However, the whole exercise gives us the impression that the matter has not been addressed with due seriousness. It has not been a mistake that could be corrected by sending a routine corrigendum only . The government should ask for a detailed explanation of how the mistake occurred. A process, we are told , has been initiated by our High Commission in Delhi to get a clear picture of what really happened. We believe that the matter should be resolved for removing any misgivings that might have been created between the two countries by the absolutely baseless report.

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Tainting the image of a country is not a difficult task. The Indian journalist who reported the imaginary shoot-out may have been oblivious of its damaging impact on bilateral ties, if he had no other motive of course . It is extremely amateurish to make stories on intelligence feed only. The bilateral implications of the issue are far too manifest to be ignored by any sensible, professionally sound journalist. For some inexplicable reasons, a section of the Indian press appears to be over-enthusiastic about blowing up sensitive stories concerning bilateral ties. In this instance, however, it was not a case of exaggeration, but malicious reporting that could have served only one purpose: embittering the relations between the two neighbours. We need to be on guard against journalism of this particular brand. However, AP must bear full responsibility of circulating this false story and should not only retract as it did but apologise to all its subscribers whom it so callously misled.