, Jan. 26 -- Speakers at a press conference have alleged the strategic use of "soft power" by the recently ousted Awami League government to legitimise an authoritarian regime through domestic and international platforms.

The press conference titled "Soft Power, Hard Abuse: The Media Mafia of Awami League", organised by The Future Forum, was held at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) in the capital on Sunday.

They alleged that during its tenure, the Awami League employed substantial financial resources to control local media, enforce the Digital Security Act of 2018 (later renamed the Cyber Security Act), and propagate favorable narratives internationally.

Electoral reforms must be done by Oct for polls in Dec

Dhaka Lit Fest founder Ahsan Ak...