The National Citizen Party (NCP) has stated that Channel One has formally retracted its earlier report claiming that senior NCP leaders held a meeting with former US Ambassador to Bangladesh, Peter Haas, in Cox’s Bazar on 5 August.
In an official post on its verified Facebook page today, NCP said Channel One expressed regret for being unable to present any evidence proving Peter Haas’ presence in Cox’s Bazar during that time. The news channel reportedly confirmed that the incorrect information about the so-called meeting originated from two separate intelligence agencies.
Channel One’s earlier report had fueled widespread speculation about alleged closed-door talks between NCP leaders and the former US envoy, who now serves as a strategic advisor for US-based LNG company Excelerate Energy. Political commentators and sections of the media had linked the meeting to potential foreign influence in Bangladesh’s political sphere, triggering sharp debate on social media.
In its latest statement, NCP condemned the original report as part of “smear campaigns, propaganda, or conspiracies” aimed at undermining the party’s current momentum. “No smear campaign, propaganda, or conspiracy can halt NCP’s forward march,” the party declared, calling on media outlets to uphold objective reporting and professionalism.
The incident highlights ongoing tensions between political actors, the press, and state-linked intelligence sources in Bangladesh’s shifting post-uprising political climate.
