Nobel laureate economist and former interim government chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has returned to Bangladesh after visiting France and the Netherlands, disproving rumors that he had fled the country. The commentary argues that such disinformation campaigns are part of a broader political strategy used by groups that have lost public support, aiming to distort reality through propaganda, confusion, and half-truths.

The article draws on political theorists Hannah Arendt, Steven Levitsky, and Daniel Ziblatt to warn that authoritarian forces often undermine democracy from within by eroding institutions and blurring the line between truth and falsehood. It highlights Bangladesh’s recent history of institutional decline, human rights concerns, and the need for accountability following a 15-year authoritarian rule and the July uprising.

The writer stresses that the new government faces two key challenges: ensuring justice and protecting democratic freedoms. Attempts to rehabilitate past authoritarian actors without accountability could endanger democracy. The piece concludes that Bangladesh’s democratic future depends on truth, rule of law, and learning from history to prevent the return of fascism.