Rumour Scanner, a fact-checking organisation in Bangladesh, has identified 1,380 instances of misinformation on social media and in the mainstream media in the first six months of 2024. This marks a nearly 61% increase compared to the same period last year. The surge in misinformation has been attributed to the parliamentary election, various political events, and domestic and international sports tournaments during this period.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been the most targeted individual, suffering the highest number of misinformation attacks. The 12th National Parliamentary Election, held in January, was a focal point for spreading false information.
Among political parties, the ruling Awami League faced the most misinformation, with Rumour Scanner identifying 216 false claims related to the party, its affiliated organisations, and its members over six months. This figure is more than double the misinformation spread about other political parties.
Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina was the subject of 94 false claims, with 81 of these being politically motivated. Every month from January to June saw multiple false claims about her, with January seeing the highest number (29) due to the national election.
Other Awami League leaders and members who were subjected to misinformation are: MP Sayedul Haque Sumon (42 false claims), General Secretary Obaidul Quader (22 false claims), MP and cricketer Shakib Al Hasan (16 false claims), PM’s ICT Advisor Sajeeb Wazed Joy (12 false claims), and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (3 false claims).
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) was the second most targeted party, with 74 false claims identified.
There have been 22 false claims about BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, 10 about Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, 8 about Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, and 3 false claims about the party’s founder, Ziaur Rahman.
Several other political parties were also subjected to multiple instances of misinformation.
Platforms Used for Misinformation
Facebook: The most popular social media platform in Bangladesh, had 1,011 instances of misinformation in six months, averaging over seven false claims per day.
YouTube: 364 instances of misinformation.
TikTok: 360 instances of misinformation, raising concerns due to its growing influence.
Rumour Scanner also found 67 instances of misinformation related to the country’s armed forces and law enforcement agencies over the past six months.
