Spread of rumours through different social media platforms is the key reason for the students’ peaceful quota movement turning into massive violence in the capital and elsewhere in the country.
The deadly clashes, which took place in the capital city of Dhaka and other parts of the country, over the quota movement, resulted from the spread of rumours on the social media, intelligence sources said.
BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami instigated the violence out a conspiracy to destabilise the country in an attempt to topple the government, the sources added.
The violence led to loss of many lives and huge damage to public and private establishments.
Spreading rumours is a major problem in Bangladesh. To combat this ill practice, the government has taken various measures, including raising public awareness, strengthening technology-based surveillance and enforcement of laws.
The government enacted the Cyber Security Act 2023, which includes provisions for punishing those who spread false information or rumours through digital platforms.
Additionally, the Bangladesh Police have established a Cyber Crime Unit to investigate and prevent the spread of rumours or false information online.
The government has taken surveillance measures to control dissemination of information on social media and online platforms,
maintaining vigilance against the spread of rumours.
Public awareness about rumours is being raised through different media channels, including efforts by the Ministry of Information and the media.
Private initiatives and government collaborations have established fact-checking platforms to verify the authenticity of information and combat false narratives.
IT experts categorize rumours into two types. The first type is harmless and poses no threat of crime. The second type is deliberate misinformation, which can undermine the country's law and order and tarnish the reputation of individuals, the government, and the country. This activity is prevalent on social media as well as some online portals.
Misinformation and disinformation campaigns in Bangladesh are perpetuated through various mediums, including social media platforms, online news websites, and messaging apps. While these platforms serve as valuable tools for communication and information dissemination, they have also become breeding grounds for the rapid spread of false narratives and propaganda, they added.
Cybersecurity specialist Tanvir Hassan Zoha told the Bangladesh Post, “There is no visible initiative from the government to prevent spread of rumours, misinformation and fake news.”
“Rumours or fake news are constantly evolving, and we must respond accordingly. Shutting down the internet and other platforms will only create more rumours. Stopping access is not a solution,” he added.
He also mentioned, “The European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK) have portals where they upload fake news and rumours for their citizens. Our government could create a similar portal using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) technology.”
Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has summoned representatives from Facebook and TikTok to appear in person at the BTRC building in Agargaon, Dhaka, by Wednesday (July 31) to explain their failure to prevent content that instigates violence on their platforms.
State Minister for Post, Telecommunications and Information Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak said that Facebook is allowing promotion of content that should be automatically blocked according to their policy.
“No action has been taken against these contents. We have asked why they did not take action. Their representatives have been summoned to the BTRC by July 31. They must come in person and give explanation,” he said.
The state minister also said currently Facebook, Instagram and TikTok remained blocked in Bangladesh and will remain so until the platforms provide satisfactory explanations to the BTRC. The government is steadfast in its decision.
