United News of Bangladesh

Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam has warned that the future of democracy could be in jeopardy if the incoming government fails to effectively combat misinformation and disinformation. “The government that will run the country should brainstorm about tackling misinformation. Otherwise, failure to address it will lead the country towards political turmoil,” he said at a dialogue session titled ‘Media Freedom: The Issue of Political Commitments in Manifesto’, held on Thursday (6th November, 2025) at the CIRDAP Auditorium and organised by the Centre for Governance Studies (CGS). Shafiqul Alam reflected on the long and shifting relationship between the government and the media since 1947, noting that it has alternated between periods of openness and restriction. “During Ayub Khan’s time, there was media freedom, but after 1990, journalists enjoyed the highest freedom under the caretaker government,” he said. “During the Awami League government, journalism reached its lowest point. However, efforts are now being made to recover from that decline under Hasina’s leadership,” Shafiqul Alam added. He said there is widespread fear of mobbing now but the current government has no intention of restricting the press. Now, the question is whether this culture will continue under a future political government? Read more: Govt watching Hasina’s actions; she’s Bengal's ‘butcher’: Press Secretary Even those who should know better, including university professors, are now spreading misinformation, he said. The press secretary pointed out that misinformation has posed significant challenges for the government, particularly false news surrounding Saint Martin’s Island and Milestone. “The amount of false information circulated about Chittagong Port was unimaginable,” he said. Unlike in many other countries where penalties are imposed for spreading misinformation, no such mechanisms exist here, he said. “False information is being spread daily on ‘Talk Shows’. We have urged Meta to take stronger action against misinformation on Facebook, but it remains a long-term process,” he added. Read more: No pressure to bring AL into polls: Press Secretary

As Bangladesh navigates an important phase in its development, policymakers, national experts, media leaders, and development practitioners on Sunday sought combined efforts at a national dialogue to address the spread of misinformation and disinformation that threatens inclusive development, institutional trust, and social cohesion. The dialogue, titled “Media in the Age of Misinformation and Disinformation – Challenges, Responsibilities, and the Path Forward for Development”, was organized by PIB and Oxfam in Bangladesh under the Development Media Forum initiative. It created a platform to explore how misleading information distorts public perception across crucial sectors such as environment, gender, economy, disaster response, and the Rohingya crisis. Speakers addressed how false or misleading content — whether politically motivated, economically driven, or algorithmically amplified — is reshaping narratives around climate change, gender rights, disaster response, economic justice, and the Rohingya crisis. Speaking at the event, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, said, “A society can only thrive when truth is protected, not manipulated. Instead of distorting facts for political or financial gain, we must strengthen institutions to serve people with integrity. Real progress comes from transparency, accountability, and collective responsibility. Let us build a future where facts inform policy, justice leads governance, and the public interest rises above all else.” Kamal Ahmed, Head of the Media Reform Commission, said, “Fighting disinformation cannot be left to individual efforts alone. We need coordinated action — from government, media, and tech platforms — backed by political will. This is not just a media issue; it’s a national priority.” “False narratives around Bangladesh’s development are often long-term, strategic, and institutionally enabled. Tackling disinformation means asking political questions — not just technical ones — and reclaiming the space for scientific, truthful debate," said Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, Professor, University of Dhaka. Misinformation now leading cause of stress for youth on social media: UNICEF The dialogue emphasized the urgent need for coordinated responses that preserve press freedom while restoring public trust and ethical communication. “We are at war with falsehood — and facts are our frontline defence. Media reform is not about control; it’s about restoring credibility, truth, and public accountability. An orchestrated information war is being waged against our people by powerful global actors and the allies of deposed rulers. Our response must be rooted in ethical journalism and national dignity,” said Faruk Wasif, Director General of the Press Institute Bangladesh (PIB) Ashish Damle, Country Director of Oxfam in Bangladesh, reminded the audience of the human cost of misinformation, “Misinformation isn't just a media problem — it impacts the lives and dignity of people, especially the most vulnerable. From gender-based disinformation to communal rumormongering, we must act together to protect people, not just platforms.” As Bangladesh advances toward its development goals and democratic stability, speakers urged greater collaboration among media institutions, government, academia, and development actors to build a healthier, more truthful information ecosystem. Mohammad Azaz, Administrator of Dhaka North City Corporation, said, “In city governance, misinformation can escalate small issues into public crises. The solution lies in strengthening community dialogue, improving access to accurate information, and ensuring responsible media reporting. Truth must start at the local level.” In the keynote presentation, Mohammad Mamun or Rashid, Assistant Professor (on lien), Jahangirnagar University and Consultant to the ICT Division, illustrated how media and digital platforms rapidly accelerate the spread of false content. Other distinguished speakers included Fahim Ahmed, CEO of Jamuna TV and Dr Din M. Sumon Rahman, Professor & Dean, School of Social Science, ULAB. Key Recommendations from the Dialogue included: establishing a national multi-stakeholder mechanism to tackle misinformation and disinformation; integrating media literacy into school and university curricula; promoting independent, in-house fact-checking in media houses; enacting digital safety mechanisms to protect women from AI-generated harassment; upholding press freedom while pursuing transparent content regulation. Moderated by Md Sariful Islam, Head of Influencing, Communications, Advocacy and Media at Oxfam in Bangladesh, the dialogue saw active participation from leading voices in journalism, academia, and development.

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Thursday urged Meta to step up efforts to tackle misinformation and fake news being spread through Facebook in Bangladesh. Dr Yunus said "oligarchs and politicians" linked to the "toppled dictatorship of Sheikh Hasina" siphoned off tens of billions of dollars from Bangladesh during her 15 years of rule. "These people are now spending their fortune to spread lies and misinformation about Bangladesh," the Chief Adviser told Sir Nick Clegg, the head of global affairs at Meta, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum annual meeting in the Swiss city. DP World, Maersk eye major investments in Bangladesh ports Clegg is also a former deputy prime minister of the United Kingdom. Probir Mehta, Director of Policy Planning of Meta; Lamiya Morshed, SDGs Affairs Principal Coordinator; and Ambassador Tareq Md Ariful Islam, Bangladesh's Permanent Representative in Geneva, also joined the meeting. When Facebook launched in 2004, it changed the way people connect. Apps like Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp further empowered billions around the world. Now, Meta is moving beyond 2D screens toward immersive experiences like augmented, virtual and mixed reality to help build the next evolution in social technology. Clegg said Facebook would continue to do fact-checking and digital verification in Bangladesh as it is an important country, with its population the world's eighth largest, Chief Adviser's Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder told UNB. Meta's decision to stop fact-checking in the United States would not be applicable for Bangladesh and countries in Europe, he said. Switzerland reaffirms support to Bangladesh during important phase of transition He said Facebook would likely scale up its digital verification service in Bangladesh and would explore ways to do fact checking by users -- similar to the operation of Wikipedia. During the half-an-hour-long meeting, Clegg also offered Meta's expertise in drafting a new cybersecurity laws. "We have a lot of experience here," he said. The Meta global affairs chief said Llama, the company's recently launched open-sourced large language model AI, could help revolutionise health care, farming and education. He hoped it would be popular among the users in Bangladesh. Prof Yunus asked Meta to organise month-long training programs on Llama in Bangladesh. "It will open up new opportunities for Bangladesh's young people," he said.

An investigation by the "Rumor Scanner" team found that between August 12 and December 5, 13 false reports were published in Indian media. A total of 49 Indian media outlets were identified for spreading these fake news stories, said the fact-checking website on Friday. Rumor Scanner is an independent digital journalism initiative with a mission to fight misinformation, and the country’s ongoing rumours, explain issues and provide accurate information to the public to make the internet safer. Among flase reports, Republic Bangla led the list, broadcasting five rumors. Hindustan Times, Zee News, and Live Mint followed closely, each spreading three rumours. Besides, Republic, India Today, ABP Anand, and Aaj Tak each broadcast two rumours. The remaining 41 media outlets each broadcasted one rumour. Following the fall of the Awami League government, Indian media outlets began circulating a series of rumours about the situation in Bangladesh, said the Rumor Scanner. Among these rumours were: a fake open letter attributed to Sheikh Hasina after her resignation, a video of a human chain by a Muslim man searching for his missing son being falsely claimed to involve a Hindu person, a false report claiming Dr Muhammad Yunus was admitted to the ICU, baseless claims about lifting the ban on banned militant organisations in Bangladesh, a fabricated story claiming Dr Yunus fled to France after Trump’s victory, false allegations about arms being smuggled into Bangladesh via a Pakistani ship, misrepresentation of the slain lawyer Saiful Islam as Chinmoy Krishna’s lawyer, rumors about Indian channels being banned in Bangladesh, the spreading of a video of idol immersion in India falsely claiming it was in response to Hindu idols being destroyed in Bangladesh due to Muslim attacks, a false claim about an attack on a Shyamoli Paribahan bus, fabricated reports of an assault on Chinmoy Krishna’s lawyer, and misleading news about the UK issuing a travel advisory due to potential terrorist attacks in Bangladesh. After being ousted from power on August 5 and seeking refuge in India, Sheikh Hasina allegedly issued an open letter from Delhi to the public, claiming that the United States was responsible for her removal. Indian propaganda cannot harm us: Adviser Sakhawat This claim was widely circulated in Indian media. However, it was later revealed that Sheikh Hasina had not issued any such letter. An investigation by the Rumor Scanner team found that the letter first spread on Facebook and was later published with a date in the print edition of the Agartala-based daily Tripura Bhobishyot. Following this, screenshots of the letter were widely shared on social media and later broadcast by several media outlets in both India and Bangladesh. After August 5, a video spread across various Indian media outlets, claiming that a Hindu man was holding a human chain to search for his missing son. But, an investigation by the Rumor Scanner team revealed that the man was actually Muslim, and his name was Babul Howlader. His son has been missing since 2013, and the human chain was organised in an effort to find him. After Sheikh Hasina lost power, an interim government was formed on August 8, with Dr Muhammad Yunus appointed as the chief adviser. Indian media outlets claimed that Dr Yunus, the chief adviser of the interim government, had fallen ill and was admitted to the ICU. A photo of a patient receiving treatment in a hospital was also published alongside this claim. However, an investigation by the Rumor Scanner team revealed that the photo was not of Dr Yunus. In fact, it was neither recent nor from Bangladesh. Dr Yunus is, in fact, in good health. Indian media outlets claimed that after the political change in Bangladesh, bans on several banned militant organisations had been lifted. However, an investigation by the Rumor Scanner team found no truth to this claim. The false assertion was circulated in Indian media without any reliable information or evidence to support it. On November 5, Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, won the 47th Presidential election in the United States. Following Trump’s victory, a claim spread across Indian media alleging that Dr. Muhammad Yunus had fled to France. However, an investigation by the Rumor Scanner team found that this claim was false. The photo used as evidence of his escape was actually taken on August 8, when Dr. Yunus was returning from France to Bangladesh. On November 13, for the first time since independence, a container-carrying ship docked at the Port of Chittagong directly from Karachi, Pakistan. Indian media outlets claimed that the ship was the same Pakistani military vessel, “Swat”, which had brought arms and ammunition to Chittagong during the 1971 Liberation War. Indian media spreading propaganda about Bangladesh: Home Affairs Adviser They further alleged that the ship was carrying weapons from Pakistan to Bangladesh. However, an investigation by the Rumor Scanner team found no truth to these claims. The ship’s name was MV Yuan Xiang Fa Zhan, a commercial vessel that brought industrial raw materials and consumer goods to Bangladesh. On November 25, the Detective Police arrested Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, the spokesperson of the United Sanatan Awakening Alliance, at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on charges of disrespecting the national flag. The following day, on November 26, he was presented before a Chittagong court, where his bail was denied. Tensions rose in the court premises, and as authorities attempted to escort Chinmoy to a prison van for transfer to jail, his supporters began protesting. The police and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) used batons and sound grenades to disperse the demonstrators. During the clashes, Chittagong District Court lawyer Saiful Islam Alif was killed. Indian media outlets claimed that Saiful Islam was murdered because he was Chinmoy’s lawyer. However, this claim was incorrect. Chinmoy’s lawyer was Subhashish Sharma, not Saiful Islam. Some Indian media outlets claimed that the broadcasts of Indian satellite channels had been shut down in Bangladesh. However, an investigation by the Rumor Scanner team found that the channels were still operational. Both the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Cable Operators Association of Bangladesh confirmed to the Rumor Scanner that the claim was a false rumor. Indian media also reported that the Bangladesh Air Force, with China’s technical assistance, was planning to build Asia’s second-largest airbase near Chicken Neck. But, the Rumor Scanner team found this claim to be entirely false. The Lalmonirhat airport has been closed for over six decades, and there have been no recent initiatives to resume its operations. Recently, a video claiming that Muslims in Bangladesh attacked a Hindu temple and vandalised idols spread online. This claim was also promoted by some Indian media outlets. However, the Rumor Scanner team found that the video was not from Bangladesh but from the village of Sultanpur in East Burdwan district, India, showing a scene of idol immersion. The video was unrelated to any attacks on Hindu temples in Bangladesh. Following reports in some Indian media outlets claiming a collision between a Shyamoli Paribahan bus and a Bangladeshi truck on the Dhaka-Agartala-Dhaka route in Brahmanbaria, it was further claimed that local people had threatened the lives of Indian passengers aboard the bus and chanted anti-India slogans. And, the Rumor Scanner team found no truth to these claims. The accident occurred due to overtaking, not intentionally, and there was no evidence of any threats or anti-India slogans. Various rumours were spread around the arrest of Chinmoy Das, including the use of a hospital image of a person who was claimed to be Ramen Roy, Chinmoy Krishna Das’s lawyer. The rumours further claimed that Muslims had attacked his home and hospitalised him in the ICU. And the Rumor Scanner team found that Ramen Roy was not Chinmoy Das’s lawyer, nor was he involved in the case. In fact, Ramen Roy was injured during an attack by miscreants at a program organised by Sanatan Hindus in Shahbagh on November 25. There were no reports or evidence of his house being vandalised. Some Indian news outlets claimed that the UK had issued a travel advisory warning of potential terrorist attacks in Bangladesh. However, this claim was misleading. The travel advisory was not specific to Bangladesh but was part of a broader alert that also included countries such as India, Indonesia, Germany, Spain, Sri Lanka, France, and others. Fight Indian media's misformation campaign with truth: CA's Press Secretary Typically, UK travel advisories apply to all travelers and are not region-specific. While a specific warning was issued for the Chittagong Hill Tracts due to ongoing violence, no such advisory was issued for other areas of Bangladesh. Besides, the UK’s advisory indicated that the risk of terrorist attacks was considered higher in countries like India, France, Germany, Russia, the USA, and Pakistan compared to Bangladesh.

Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam on Tuesday hoped that the citizen groups, Bangladeshi diaspora, political parties and civil society would raise their voices against the massive misinformation campaign against Bangladesh. "There has been a kind of massive disinformation campaign against us,” he said, adding that it is an evil effort to put the whole nation into question. The Press Secretary said what is happening around is the result of a misinformation campaign as an impression is deliberately being given that something dangerous is taking place in the country. Putting blame largely on Indian media for spreading propaganda, he said it seems the Indian media is pre-determined to say what is happening in Bangladesh. “If you have a pre-determined stance, to be honest, we can’t say much.” Alam said they are inviting journalists globally to see and write based on facts to let the world know the actual situation on the ground. Read: INR survey: Bangladesh faces media credibility crisis amid disinformation surge and digital literacy gaps Meanwhile, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus is going to hold talks separately with different stakeholders, including political parties and religious leaders, as he seeks national unity. The Press Secretary said there is a possibility of a meeting with political parties at the Foreign Service Academy at 4pm on Wednesday. The meeting with religious leaders will be held on Thursday, but the time has not been decided yet, he said. The Press Secretary said the Chief adviser will call for national unity at the meetings. Prof Yunus held a meeting with student leaders on Tuesday evening. “He (Prof Yunus) called the students to help rebuild the nation,” Alam told UNB after the meeting. Read more: National Unity: Chief Adviser to hold talks with political, religious leaders CA’s Deputy Press Secretaries Apurba Jahangir and Abul Kalam Azad Majumder were also present at the media briefing.

Law Minister Anisul Huq assured the Parliament on Sunday (February 25, 2024) that the government is dedicated to safeguarding press freedom and will not impose any restrictions on it. He highlighted upcoming legislation aimed at combating misinformation and fake news without infringing on media freedom. Addressing the Parliament in the absence of the State Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Mohammad Ali Arafat, Huq responded to concerns raised by Jatiya Party MP from Patuakhali, ABM Ruhul Amin Hawladar, regarding the spread of false news by online media outlets. Home Minister expresses hope for swift conclusion of BDR Carnage Case Hawladar questioned the necessity of a law to prohibit such practices, to which Minister Huq reaffirmed the constitutional guarantee of free speech and press freedom. “Law has to be made in that light and with due respect,” he said. He referenced the existing Cyber Security Act, indicating that it, along with forthcoming laws proposed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, aims to address the issue of misinformation responsibly. The government's approach is to prevent confusion and the spread of fake news through appropriate measures, not control, the Law Minister emphasized, ensuring that the press's freedom remains intact. Read more: Information Minister questions countries’ lack of concern when BBC office in India was searched

Those who spread confusion and misinformation do not like that Bangladesh is prospering, according to Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud. He made the remark during an exchange of views with journalists on current issues at his residence in Chattogram city on Friday (March 31, 2023) afternoon. Hasan, also Joint General Secretary of Awami League, said that as the country continues to progress, the prosperity and wealth of every citizen also increases. He alleged some newspapers intentionally publish negative news: “Many individuals do not like the economic prosperity of Bangladesh under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina. Therefore, some newspapers intentionally publish negative reports, while identified foreign individuals spread misinformation against Bangladesh." Read More: BBC film on India's PM Modi, 2002 riots draws government ire Despite these efforts, Bangladesh remains indomitable, he said. The information minister also criticized 12 countries, including the USA, that issued a statement on the arrest of Prothom Alo journalist Shamsuzzaman Shams, stating that it was tantamount to “interference in the country's internal affairs.” He highlighted the contrast between the response to this incident in Bangladesh and the “lack of concern” expressed by countries when the BBC office in India was searched. He reminded diplomats of the Vienna Convention that sets the rules and limits on their conduct while stationed abroad and asserted that the government would continue to ensure freedom of media. Read More: Indian officials search BBC offices for second straight day Mahmud also criticized the opposition party for going to foreign diplomats and requesting “intervention” instead of engaging with the people of the country. He stated that it was "anti-national and involved a conspiracy against the country" to meddle in internal affairs. Hasan Mahmud referred to a recent report by Bloomberg, a renowned US media organization, that praised the economic prosperity achieved under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the ability to maintain economic stability even during the COVID-19 pandemic and global recession. According to the report, there is a possibility of Sheikh Hasina winning the next election and serving a fourth term as prime minister. Mahmud also shared statistics demonstrating Bangladesh's economic growth and stability under the current government. Read More: Indian officials probe BBC for 3rd day, alleging tax dodge He stated that the percentage of people living below the poverty line stands at 16% despite the COVID-19 pandemic and global recession. Additionally, Bangladesh's per capita income has surpassed that of India during the pandemic, and the country has risen from the 60th to the 35th largest economy in the world in terms of GDP, he added. The Acting President of Chattogram Metropolitan Awami League, Mahatab Uddin Chowdhury, former Mayor AJM Nasir Uddin, North District President MA Salam, South District Acting President Motaherul Islam, and other party leaders were present at the event. read More: Tax officials search BBC's Delhi offices weeks after Modi documentary

The United Nations’ educational, scientific and cultural agency chief on Wednesday called for a global dialogue to find ways to regulate social media companies and limit their role in the spreading of misinformation around the world. Audrey Azoulay, the director general of UNESCO, addressed a gathering of lawmakers, journalists and civil societies from around the world to discuss ways to regulate social media platforms such as Twitter and others to help make the internet a safer, fact-based space. The two-day conference in Paris aims to formulate guidelines that would help regulators, governments and businesses manage content that undermines democracy and human rights, while supporting freedom of expression and promoting access to accurate and reliable information. The global dialogue should provide the legal tools and principles of accountability and responsibility for social media companies to contribute to the “public good,” Azoulay said in an interview with The Associated Press on the sidelines of the conference. She added: “It would limit the risks that we see today, that we live today, disinformation (and) conspiracy theories spreading faster than the truth.” The European Union last year passed landmark legislation that will compel big tech companies like Google and Facebook parent Meta to police their platforms more strictly to protect European users from hate speech, disinformation and harmful content. The Digital Services Act is one of the EU’s three significant laws targeting the tech industry. In the United States, the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission have filed major antitrust actions against Google and Facebook, although Congress remains politically divided on efforts to address online disinformation, competition, privacy and more. Filipino journalist and Nobel laureate Maria Ressa told participants in the Paris conference that putting laws into place that would prevent social media companies from “proliferating misinformation on their platforms” is long overdue. Ressa is a longtime critic of social media platforms that she said have put “democracy at risk” and distracted societies from solving problems such climate change and the rise of authoritarianism around the world. By “insidiously manipulating people at the scale that’s happening now, ... (they have) changed our values and it has rippled to cascading failure,” Ressa told the AP in an interview on Wednesday. “If you don’t have a set of shared facts, how do we deal with climate change?” Ressa said. “If everything is debatable, if trust is destroyed (there’s no) meaningful exchange.” She added: “Just a reminder, democracy is not just about talking. It’s about listening. It’s about finding compromises that are impossible in the world of technology today.”

The government has decided to deal with "anti-government propaganda" at home and abroad in a "coordinated way" and fight against misinformation by presenting correct information. Representatives from the relevant ministries and departments will sit regularly to find effective ways to present correct information about Bangladesh against fabrication and misinformation. The decision was taken at a meeting held at State guesthouse Padma on Sunday with Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen in the chair. Law Minister Anisul Huq, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan and representatives from law enforcement agencies were present. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will coordinate the work. Asked about the meeting, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam said it was a closed-door meeting and there is nothing to share with the media. Read more: Misinformation, fake news a grave concern, says Md Shahriar Alam

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam on Tuesday said the government is committed to ensure people’s right to know and respect freedom of speech. However, the State Minister said that the increasing trend of misinformation and fake news has become a grave concern day by day. “We all have to work in a responsible way. If we all work together, we shall be able to fight the mounting trend of misinformation and fake news,” he said while speaking as the chief guest at a discussion at Jatiya Press Club. The Women Journalists Network Bangladesh (WJNB), in partnership with the High Commission of Canada in Bangladesh, organised the discussion on the “Importance of Digital Literacy to combat Hate Speech and Misinformation” under the project “Digital Literacy and Digital Safety”. Read more: BNP ployed to press for right to peaceful assembly through violent means: Foreign Ministry tells diplomatic missions