NDTV’s Headline vs Reality: Why Only the Defence Adviser Was Highlighted?

NDTV’s Headline vs Reality: Why Only the Defence Adviser Was Highlighted?

India’s RAW Chief Parag Jain visited Dhaka. NDTV and several other Indian and local media outlets ran headlines such as “RAW Chief meets Bangladesh Defence Adviser amid diplomatic reset.” The reports heavily focused on his meeting with Brigadier General (Retd) Dr AKM Shamsul Islam, Defence Affairs Adviser to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.

But the full picture is broader.

Jain led a four-member Indian delegation that did not meet only the Defence Adviser. The team also held talks with Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed. Meetings also took place with other counter parts including foreign ministry officials. On the same day, Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi held separate meetings with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. This was not a single, secretive engagement with one individual; it involved multiple levels of security and diplomatic channels between the two countries.

So why did the media place such strong emphasis only on the Defence Adviser?

The answer lies in deliberate framing. The combination of “RAW Chief + Defence Adviser” instantly creates an impression of sensitive, intelligence-driven, and deep security cooperation. It is designed to generate unease or suspicion in the reader’s mind, especially at a time when bilateral tensions exist over Sheikh Hasina’s activities from Indian soil. Highlighting the Defence Adviser makes the story appear more secretive and high-stakes. By downplaying the meetings with the Home Minister and other officials, the narrative becomes incomplete and more dramatic.

Diplomatic sources have described the visit as a “routine” one. Regular exchanges between the intelligence agencies among the countries are not new. Intelligence agencies periodically share observations on security situations, border issues, and regional cooperation. Yet by centering the headline almost exclusively on the Defence Adviser, the coverage suggests that India is now deeply embedding itself into Bangladesh’s defence structure.

This kind of selective framing turns a multi-channel engagement into a more sensational and one-sided story. In reality, the meetings form part of ongoing intelligence cooperation and efforts to stabilise bilateral ties. Focusing only on one name while sidelining the rest leaves the public with a partial and skewed picture, a common feature of current media narratives.