Govt launches campaign to make people aware of fake info

The government launches a three-month-long campaign ‘Asol Chini’ to make people aware of fake information. Digital Security Agency and LICT project of Bangladesh Computer Council jointly launched the campaign on 8 September 2020PID

The government on Tuesday launched a campaign ‘Asol Chini’ (Let’s know the truth) to know the truth against the rush of fake information and rumors in the online and social media, reports BSS.

The government hopes to make at least seven million people aware of fake information under the three-month-long campaign, launched jointly by Digital Security Agency (DSA) and LICT project of Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC) under ICT division, said a press release.

Inaugurating the campaign at the BCC auditorium and zoom platform, state minister for ICT division Zunaid Ahmed Palak said it is very difficult to know the truth due to the onrush of fake information and rumors being propagated online and social media causing social unrest, damage of property and even loss of life.

“But we could know the truth easily if we apply our common sense and intellect,” Palak said adding that the ICT division has started the campaign from today to stop rumors and fake information.

ICT division senior secretary NM Zeaul Alam, DSA director general and LICT project director Md Rezaul Karim, BCC executive director Parthapratim Deb, LICT project policy adviser Sami Ahmed, UNICEF communication manager Shakil Faizullah, Women and e-Commerce Forum president Nasima Akhter Nisha and Founder of Bangladesh Innovation Forum Arif Hasan Opu, among others, spoke on the occasion.

Digital communication specialist Hasan Benaul Islam moderated the function.

Palak gave a PowerPoint presentation on ‘Building Digital Literate Nation,’ at the function describing the overall objectives of the campaign.

Stressing on digital literacy, he said although the rate of literacy in the country has increased substantially, there is a lack of digital literacy among the students.

“There is no alternative to digital literacy to stop fake information and spread rumour online and social media,” Palak said urging the youths to create awareness among the people about the fake information and rumours.

The state minister said it is the youths who could detect the fake information and rumours and help others know the truth. The government has been engaging the members from the young generation who represent 90 per cent of the total social media users to make the ‘Asol Chini’ campaign successful, he added.

To mark the campaign a platform `Durbar’ (www.durbar21.org) has been developed for registering the names of two ambassadors from each union, upazila, district and wards of municipal corporation and pourasava who will be involved in creating awareness among the people about the menace of fake information and rumours. Anyone can also read the contents by registering through Durbar.

Later, the state minister handed over two laptops to Tuba and Mahir, the daughter of slain Taslima Begum Renu who was mercilessly beaten to death over a rumour in Badda in the capital in 2019.