DHAKA, June 19 (V7N) – Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Bangladesh's Adviser for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, today stressed the critical need to combat disinformation with facts, trust, and inclusive communication, asserting that national security extends beyond military strength to include safeguarding public perception.

"National security cannot be ensured by weapons alone—we must also safeguard minds. Misinformation is a psychological weapon, and our defense must include verified facts, trust-building, and proactive outreach," she stated at a high-level seminar in Dhaka. The event, titled "Advancing National Security and Development: Use of Information as a Powerful Strategic Tool," was jointly organized by the National Defence College (NDC) and the Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS).

Rizwana Hasan, a renowned environmental lawyer and activist, highlighted that accurate, timely, and accessible information is fundamental to both national security and sustainable development. She drew a historical parallel to the 1757 Battle of Plassey, where, she noted, the manipulation of facts and betrayal led to a loss of sovereignty for the region. She warned that contemporary disinformation poses a similar threat to national unity and progress.


"The lessons of Plassey are not historical footnotes; they are strategic warnings," she cautioned.

The Environment Adviser also identified the climate crisis as one of Bangladesh's most severe and complex security challenges. With significant portions of the country vulnerable to rising sea levels and extreme weather events, she called for urgent investment in real-time data infrastructure and localized early warning systems. She emphasized the importance of integrating traditional ecological knowledge with modern science, citing instances where "villagers using inherited wisdom predicted flash floods more accurately than sophisticated models."

Rizwana Hasan advocated for a culture of transparency, condemning the withholding of vital information and the penalization of whistleblowers. "We cannot create a resilient society by silencing the truth or punishing those who reveal it. Empowering citizens with facts and the freedom to speak is essential to national resilience," she affirmed.

Concluding her remarks, she urged all stakeholders—including government agencies, the military, media, civil society, and the international community—to view information as both a strategic resource and a shared responsibility. "Only through truth, unity, and informed action can we build a secure, inclusive, and forward-looking Bangladesh," she stated.

Lieutenant General Mohammad Shaheenul Haque, the Commandant of the National Defence College, also spoke at the seminar, which was attended by senior military officials, diplomats, academics, and development professionals.

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