Rumor Scanner detects 298 cases of misinformation online about Bangladesh

Fact-checking organisation Rumor Scanner has reported identifying 298 cases of misinformation spread on the internet in March this year. Political issues accounted for the highest number of false claims, with 105 cases—making up 35 per cent of the total misinformation detected.

Additionally, the organisation identified 103 cases related to national issues, 12 concerning international matters, 36 related to religion, 3 involving entertainment and literature, 3 concerning education, 12 involving fraud, and 16 related to sports.

The findings were published on the Rumor Scanner website last Wednesday. The report also noted that 271 cases of misinformation were detected in January and 268 in February.

According to the report, video-based misinformation was the most prevalent, accounting for 143 of the 298 cases. Additionally, 110 cases were classified as information-based errors, while 45 were image-based misinformation. Among the identified cases, 168 were categorised as completely false, 97 as misleading, and 31 as distorted.

Regarding platforms, Facebook was found to be the primary source of misinformation last month, with 273 cases. Additionally, 62 cases were spread on X, 7 on TikTok, 44 on YouTube, 26 on Instagram, and at least 5 on Threads.

The country’s mainstream media was not exempt from misinformation, with Rumor Scanner identifying 16 instances where false information was spread by various media outlets in Bangladesh.

Rumor Scanner also highlighted that misinformation about Bangladesh from Indian media and social media accounts operated from India has increased since last year. This trend continued in March. Last month, Indian media spread misinformation about Bangladesh in four separate incidents. Additionally, in three cases, false claims about Bangladesh were circulated from Indian social media accounts and pages.

Communal misinformation has been a growing concern for several months. In March, Rumor Scanner detected 26 instances of such misinformation. Evidence suggested that Indian accounts and pages were responsible for spreading half of these cases.

The Rumor Scanner team observed that 15 misinformation campaigns related to the current interim government were launched last month. To analyse their nature, Rumor Scanner categorised them into two types: positive misinformation campaigns supporting the government and negative misinformation campaigns opposing it. The report found that all of these misinformation campaigns had the potential to harm the government.

The Rumor Scanner report also noted that misinformation campaigns targeted both the interim government's Chief Advisor and other advisors. In March, 22 misinformation campaigns were launched against Chief Advisor Professor Muhammad Yunus. Of these, 77 per cent were critical of him, while 23 per cent were in his favour.

Among the government's advisors, misinformation campaigns were identified as follows: two (both negative) against Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan, one (negative) against Syeda Rizwana Hasan, four (all negative) against Asif Nazrul, two (both negative) against Saleh Uddin Ahmed, one (negative) against Touhid Hossain, and one (negative) against the Chief Advisor's Press Secretary, Shafiqul Alam.

Misinformation about political parties continued to spread last month, Rumor Scanner reported. The organisation analysed fact-checks from the period and found that Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami was the most targeted, with seven misinformation campaigns directed against it. Of these, 86 per cent created a negative perception of the party.

During this period, two misinformation campaigns (both negative) were identified against Jamaat-e-Islami’s Amir, Shafiqur Rahman. Additionally, six misinformation campaigns (all negative) were spread about the party’s student wing, Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) was the subject of four misinformation campaigns last month, 75 per cent of which were negative. One misinformation campaign (in favour) targeted the party’s acting chairman, Tarique Rahman, while two (both negative) were directed at Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. Similarly, BNP’s student wing, Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, was the target of four misinformation campaigns, all negative.

In contrast, six misinformation campaigns involving the Bangladesh Awami League were identified, with 83 per cent being favorable to the party. Additionally, one misinformation campaign (in favour) was found involving the party’s student wing, Bangladesh Chhatra League. Notably, 33 misinformation campaigns (85 per cent in favour) were recorded involving Awami League President Sheikh Hasina.

Meanwhile, the recently formed National Citizen Party (NCP), established by student leaders of the July mass uprising, was the subject of two misinformation campaigns last month, both negative.

State forces have also been targeted by misinformation, Rumor Scanner reported. In the past month alone, 23 misinformation campaigns involving the Bangladesh Army were identified, including seven specifically targeting the Chief of Army Staff, General Wakar-uz-Zaman. This marks the highest number of misinformation incidents involving the army in a single month since August last year.

Additionally, Rumor Scanner detected three misinformation campaigns about the Bangladesh Police during this period.