BBC says it regrets publishing story before getting comments from Sajeeb Wazed Joy

The BBC has regretted publishing a report on prime minister’s son Sajeeb Wazed Joy meeting an Israeli right-wing politician without obtaining his comments.

On May 28, the BBC Bangla ran an interview of Israel’s Likud party member Mendi N Safadi, where he claimed to have met Joy in Washington.

In a statement on Wednesday, the BBC said that it ‘obviously’ wanted to speak with Joy and tried to contact him ‘repeatedly through numerous channels’ but failed to reach him.

BBC Global News Corporate Communications Manager Paul Rasmussen said in the statement that they carried the story of Joy denying the claim on his Facebook page on May 30 as well when the Awami League issued a rejoinder.

“With hindsight, we regret publishing the story before obtaining comments from Mr Wazed, as this is how the BBC would normally treat such claims.

“In light of this, we will strengthen our editorial processes,” reads the statement.

Newly promoted BNP Joint Secretary General Aslam Chowdhury was arrested recently and charged with treason after his meeting with Safadi during an event in New Delhi this year.

Leaders of the ruling Awami League have claimed that the meeting between the two was part of a conspiracy to overthrow Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with help of the Israeli spy agency Mossad.

But the BNP has refuted the allegation, saying Aslam’s India trip was ‘personal’.

</div>  </p><p>Aslam and Safadi both have admitted to meeting each other in Delhi but claimed nothing covert had been discussed.</p><p>On May 28, the BBC Bangla published Safadi’s interview, where he claimed to have met Hasina’s son and her IT affairs adviser.</p><p>“When Mendi Safadi claimed he had met the son of Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina in Washington, it was clearly in the public interest,” says the BBC statement emailed to bdnews24.com on Wednesday.</p><p>In a social media post on May 30, Joy trashed the claims and said he had not met Safadi ‘either in Washington or anywhere else’.</p><p>“He is lying. That he is willing to lie for the BNP also proves that he is involved in a conspiracy with the BNP. Otherwise why would he lie on their behalf?” his Facebook post read.</p>