Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan today addressed a high-level seminar at the “Advancing National Security and Development: Use of Information as a Powerful Strategic Tool,”. Photo: BSS

DHAKA, June 18, 2025 (BSS) - Environment, Forest and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan today underscored the urgent need for countering disinformation with facts, trust and inclusive communication.

“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 asserted.

The environment adviser made the remarks while addressing a high-level seminar titled “Advancing National Security and Development: Use of Information as a Powerful Strategic Tool,” jointly organized by the National Defence College (NDC) and the Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS) here.

Rizwana highlighted that accurate, timely, and accessible information is fundamental to national security and sustainable development. 

She warned that, much like in the historic Battle of Plassey in 1757—where manipulation of facts and betrayal led to the loss of sovereignty—disinformation today can undermine national unity and progress.

 “The lessons of Plassey are not historical footnotes; they are strategic warnings,” she noted.

Rizwana also pointed to the climate crisis as one of Bangladesh’s most severe and complex security challenges. 

With large swathes of the country vulnerable to sea-level rise and extreme weather events, she called for urgent investment in real-time data infrastructure and localized early warning systems.

 She also emphasised integrating traditional ecological knowledge with modern science.

 “In some recent cases, villagers using inherited wisdom predicted flash floods more accurately than sophisticated models,” the adviser said.

Calling for a culture of transparency, she warned against withholding vital information and penalising 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 stated.

In conclusion, Rizwana thanked NDC and BIPSS for convening the timely dialogue and urged all actors—government agencies, the military, media, civil society, and the international community—to treat 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 affirmed.

Lieutenant General Mohammad Shaheenul Haque, the Commandant of the National Defence College, also spoke on the occasion.

Senior military officials, diplomats, academics and development professionals were present, among others.