Renowned British barrister Desmond Browne KC provided legal counsel to the government of former Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina, advising on potential legal actions against journalists in response to a critical documentary aired by Al Jazeera in 2021, according to a report by The Sunday Times.
The newspaper further disclosed that the government contemplated arresting British journalist David Bergman in Bangladesh for his association with the documentary.
The documentary, titled "All The Prime Minister's Men", presented allegations of corruption and power abuse during Hasina’s tenure, The Sunday Times added.
It precipitated sanctions from the United States against then-army chief Aziz Ahmed and his brother and incited retaliation against whistleblowers within Bangladesh.
Hasina’s administration condemned the film as defamatory and politically charged.
According to documents uncovered at Hasina's former residence after her ousting in 2024, officials from her government engaged with Desmond Browne through the Bangladeshi High Commission in London in February 2021, shortly after the documentary's release.
In a virtual consultation, Browne suggested appointing a solicitor to instruct him and directed the officials to Jeremy Clarke-Williams, a specialist in reputation management, who subsequently met with them.
The records indicate that Bangladeshi officials sought advice on filing defamation suits in the UK, including individual lawsuits against journalists, and considered arresting Bergman in Bangladesh, accusing him of orchestrating the "politically motivated" documentary. Bergman, a known critic of Hasina’s regime, had previously been denied visa renewal in Bangladesh.
Browne confirmed to The Sunday Times that he provided preliminary advice but emphasised that no further actions were pursued.
He invoked the "cab rank" rule, a professional obligation requiring barristers to accept clients irrespective of their beliefs or actions, to justify his involvement.
Clarke-Williams, however, did not respond for comment, added The Sunday Times.
Ultimately, Hasina’s government abandoned its UK litigation plans, opting instead to exert pressure on platforms like YouTube and Facebook to remove the documentary—requests both platforms denied, according to the report.
