The Chief Adviser’s Office has dismissed reports in Indian media about US aid cuts to Bangladesh, calling them a “campaign of lies” following President Donald Trump’s decision to freeze foreign assistance globally.

In a statement on its verified Facebook page, The CA Press Wing Facts, the office criticized Indian outlets for misleading coverage, saying US aid accounts for only a small portion of Bangladesh’s development spending.

Trump’s executive order has suspended US foreign aid for 90 days, impacting projects under USAID and the State Department worldwide.

However, Bangladesh clarified that emergency food assistance for Rohingya refugees remains exempt. The funding freeze has affected various institutions, with icddr,b announcing layoffs for over 1,000 employees working on US-funded projects.

West Bengal’s Anandabazar Patrika ran a headline claiming the aid suspension was “new pressure on the Muhammad Yunus government,” which the Chief Adviser’s Office called “misleading and politically motivated.”

Official figures show USAID allocated $181.7 million to Bangladesh for 2023-24, while Japan’s JICA provided $1.91 billion, the World Bank $2.25 billion, and the ADB over $2.15 billion. USAID’s contribution represents only 1.07% of Bangladesh’s total development spending of $16.97 billion.

The Bangladesh government has urged media outlets to present accurate comparisons instead of singling out the country in a broader global aid freeze.