The official website of the National Press Club of Bangladesh has been hacked, now showing gambling ads in Indonesian. Mainstream Bangladeshi media remain largely silent.
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| The Press Club’s website was hacked, showing gambling content. Foreign involvement was suspected, but Bangladeshi mainstream media mostly ignored the incident. Image: CH |
Dhaka, Bangladesh --- July 12, 2025:
The official website of the National Press Club of Bangladesh (www.jpcbd.org) has been hacked, with its original content replaced by advertisements for an Indonesian-language online gambling platform called MNCTOTO. The breach has raised serious concerns among journalists and cybersecurity professionals, particularly given the site’s importance as a hub for press and public discourse in the country.
As of 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, the compromised website was actively promoting a Thai server-based slot gambling service, offering low-stakes bets, Dana digital wallet deposits, and high Return to Player (RTP) rates. The site's title had been changed to “MNCTOTO,” and its pages now display graphics and promotional material entirely unrelated to the Press Club’s official identity.
While an official investigation is underway and no party has claimed responsibility, digital security analysts and political commentators suspect potential involvement from Indian or Israeli hackers.
India is being viewed with suspicion following recent political shifts in Bangladesh, where youth-led movements contributed to the ousting of the satellite-backed government and former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, long criticized for authoritarian policies. Given India’s political reaction to these changes, some believe the hack may be part of a broader digital retaliation or disinformation effort.
Israel has also been mentioned as a possible actor, as Bangladesh has been outspoken in its condemnation of Israeli military actions in the Middle East. Massive public demonstrations across Bangladesh have expressed support for Palestine, which some experts say may have provoked cyber retaliation by pro-Israeli networks with a history of targeting Muslim-majority countries.
Despite the high-profile nature of the breach, mainstream Bangladeshi media have largely ignored the incident, prompting criticism from independent journalists and digital rights activists who argue that such silence undermines public awareness and accountability.
Though the allegations of foreign involvement remain unconfirmed, the political backdrop and timing of the attack have intensified scrutiny. Experts warn this may be part of a growing trend where cyberwarfare is used to destabilize political transitions, influence narratives, or retaliate against governments and populations taking independent positions on global issues.
The National Press Club has yet to issue a public statement. At the time of this report, the website remains compromised, with gambling content still live.
Cybersecurity teams are currently working to assess the breach, identify the source, and restore the site. Meanwhile, calls are growing for a transparent investigation and stronger protective measures to shield Bangladesh’s digital infrastructure from foreign interference and cyber exploitation.