- Analysis of Disinformation Spread Regarding the 13th National Parliamentary Election in the First Five Months of 2025
- 39 pieces of election-centric disinformation identified
- BNP has been the subject of the most disinformation as a party
- Tarique Rahman has been the subject of the most disinformation as an individual
- Most disinformation on Facebook
- Most disinformation identified through fake and distorted comments as a type
- BNP is also the biggest victim of fake and distorted comments
- Fake photocards disseminated in the name of 13 media outlets across 27 disinformation incidents
The political landscape is heating up ahead of the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election. After the 12th parliamentary election on January 7th of last year, a mass uprising of students and the public in August led to a change in state power, and the Awami League government was ousted. Since then, the next election has been a topic of discussion. Although there are disagreements between the government and political parties regarding the exact timing of this election, Chief Advisor Dr. Muhammad Yunus, in his address to the nation on June 6th, stated that the election will be held on any day in the first half of April 2026. Subsequently, a joint statement released after a meeting between the Chief Advisor and BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman in London on June 13th announced that if all preparations are completed, the election could take place in the first half of February.
In this context, Rumor Scanner wanted to see what kind of disinformation related to the election has been spreading in the first five months of the current year. An analysis of election-related fact-checks published on Rumor Scanner’s website over the past five months reveals that, during this period, BNP has been the most frequent victim of disinformation as a party. Concurrently, the majority of disinformation has been spread through fake and edited statements attributed to various political parties and high-ranking government officials. Furthermore, the dissemination of disinformation using edited and fake photocards from the media was also noticeable.
More than Three Dozen Pieces of Disinformation, Majority on Facebook
In the first five months of the current year, Rumor Scanner identified 39 pieces of election-related disinformation, which accounts for approximately three percent of the total misinformation detected (1484) during the same period. Rumor Scanner analyzed both monthly and weekly data of this identified disinformation. It shows that while only 26 percent of this disinformation spread in the first three months, the remaining 74 percent was disseminated in the subsequent two months. Of this, 38 percent was identified in April and 36 percent in May.
Furthermore, weekly statistics indicate that the highest number (7) of election-centric disinformation pieces were identified in the first week of April and the last week of May.
Analyzing the election-related fact-check reports reveals that during this period, 19 instances of distorted information were identified, while 18 pieces of disinformation contained entirely false or fake events. One instance was rated as misleading. Additionally, one humorous event, initially presented as sarcasm or a joke, was fact-checked based on a real claim. In identifying this disinformation, 37 pieces of information were verified, and two videos were verified.
Facebook was the most widely used medium for spreading election-related disinformation in the past five months. Of the 39 identified pieces of disinformation, 38 were found on this platform. Furthermore, two pieces of disinformation spread on TikTok and Instagram respectively, and one on Threads. Besides social media platforms, domestic media also played a role in disseminating election-related false information. Evidence of two such instances of false information being published in the country’s media has been found in the last five months.
Political Figures Targeted by Fake Comments
The trend of spreading fake comments in the names of leading political figures has been observed for the past few years. Similarly, attempts to create a negative impression by distorting a statement are also noticeably prevalent. Rumor Scanner has observed both of these methods being used to spread disinformation in the run-up to the upcoming election. In identifying the types of election-related disinformation, Rumor Scanner found that 16 pieces of disinformation were spread through fake comments and 17 through distorted comments, based on their type. The severity of these two types over five months can be understood by looking at their percentage: 70% of the disinformation spread through these two methods.
Additionally, six pieces of disinformation each were spread regarding the announcement of the election schedule and promises made to the public.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has been the biggest victim (50 percent) of fake and distorted comments. In the past five months, eight fake comments and seven distorted comments involving the party’s leaders and activists have been disseminated. However, the exact opposite picture has been observed in the case of the Bangladesh Awami League, whose activities are currently banned. No fake or distorted comments related to the upcoming election involving any leader or activist of the party have been found so far.
Furthermore, evidence has been found of five fake and distorted comments circulating about the interim government, seven about Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, and three about the National Citizen Party (NCP).
Most Disinformation Targets BNP
An analysis of election-related fact-checks over the past five months shows that, during this period, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has been the target of the most disinformation (19) as a party. To understand the types of disinformation, Rumor Scanner divided them into two separate categories. Considering the spread of disinformation that favors the party as positive and that which goes against it as negative, Rumor Scanner observed that 84 percent (16) of this disinformation created an opportunity to foster a negative attitude towards BNP. Among this disinformation, the most (7) was spread about the party’s Acting Chairman, Tarique Rahman, with almost 71 percent (5) creating an opportunity to foster a negative attitude towards him. Additionally, among the party’s leaders, five pieces of disinformation were spread about Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir (all negative), two about Mirza Abbas (both negative), and one piece each about Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Shamsuzzaman Dudu, Salahuddin Ahmed, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, and Zainul Abedin Faruque (all negative).
Within the same period, following BNP, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami was the target of the most disinformation (7) as a party. 86 percent (6) of this disinformation created an opportunity to foster a negative attitude towards the party. Among this disinformation, four pieces (all negative) involved the party’s Amir, Dr. Shafiqur Rahman; two pieces (all negative) involved party leader Golam Parwar; and one piece (positive) involved the party’s student organization, Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir.
The National Citizen Party (NCP), a new political party formed last February, also fell victim to three election-related pieces of disinformation (all negative) in the subsequent three months. The names of the party’s convener Nahid Islam, party leader Hasnat Abdullah, and Dr. Tasnim Jara were implicated in this disinformation.
In the past five months, evidence also suggests that the Awami League was linked to two pieces of disinformation (both positive), and the Gono Odhikar Parishad to one (negative).
The interim government also fell victim to election-related disinformation. Five pieces of disinformation involving the government were identified, all of which created an opportunity to foster a negative attitude towards the government. These include four pieces of disinformation involving Chief Advisor Dr. Muhammad Yunus and one involving Advisor Dr. Asif Nazrul.
Media Also Being Entangled in Disinformation Due to Its Credibility
The media is generally considered a reliable source for news and information. In this age of technology, media outlets are no longer confined to the familiar boundaries of television, newspaper pages, or websites. They also have a strong presence on social media. Through photocards, they can instantly inform people about the latest news from home and abroad. Misinformation peddlers are exploiting this media initiative. In recent years, the use of media photocards to spread fake information and disinformation has increased at an alarming rate. It goes without saying that this will have a significant impact on the upcoming election. Analysis of election-related fact-checks from the past five months also indicates this trend. In these five months, 27 instances of disinformation were spread involving 13 mainstream media outlets using edited and fake media photocards. Kaler Kantho’s name was used the most (5 times) in spreading disinformation using these methods. Following Kaler Kantho, Jamuna TV (4 times) and Kalbela and Janakantho (3 times each) were frequently used.
The majority of this disinformation involving the media consists of fake and edited comments attributed to politicians. Media outlets are essentially being turned into guinea pigs for disinformation campaigns, with propagandists exploiting their credibility. While it’s common to see fake photocards being spread as genuine, Rumor Scanner has also observed the exact opposite. On January 30th, after DBC News’s Facebook page published a photocard quoting BNP’s top leader Tarique Rahman with the headline, “Election at the appointed time, anyone who obstructs will be resisted,” this photocard was then circulated on social media and claimed to be fake. It was alleged that “the Al Botor rumor camp is conducting heinous activities by creating such fake photocards to cover up their misdeeds and tarnish the clean image of BNP’s Acting Chairman Mr. Tarique Rahman.” In other words, genuine photocards are also being falsely labeled as fake to spread disinformation.
Many netizens edit and share photocards on Facebook, often without any disclaimers, assuming they will be understood as sarcasm or satire. However, if these fake photocards subsequently spread, they can be taken as real, causing public confusion and negative reactions.
The number of people who believe information to be true simply by seeing a fake media photocard is not insignificant. Even journalists themselves and other responsible individuals often get misled and share them. Yet, it’s not difficult to check if the relevant information or photocard exists on the concerned media outlet’s Facebook page or website. In many cases, this disinformation can erode the trust of readers and viewers in the concerned media outlets. In some instances, this disinformation can even hinder the progress of media organizations. Lately, media outlets are posting disclaimers when rumors are spread in their name, clarifying that the information or photocard is not published by them.
Emphasizing Collective Initiative
Professor Md. Mashiur Rahman of the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism at the University of Rajshahi was asked about how to curb the spread of misinformation involving the media. He told Rumor Scanner that media outlets can take several effective steps to prevent the spread of fake photocards. For example, they can use verification logos and digital watermarks, and regularly share debunked information about fake photocards on their own social media platforms. Additionally, he advises coordinating with relevant organizations like fact-checking institutions, the Election Commission, and law enforcement agencies, and if necessary, finding a method for quick response.
Rumor Scanner asked Sayeed Al-Zaman, Assistant Professor at the Department of Journalism and Media Studies at Jahangirnagar University, about how media can play a role in combating misinformation in the upcoming elections. He stated, “In the offline space, print media, i.e., newspapers, can allocate a specific section to raise public awareness about misinformation, perhaps titled ‘Digital Information Literacy’ or ‘Fact Corner.’ This section would regularly feature small, educational topics along with one or two recent fact-checked pieces of misinformation as examples. Naturally, print media will not be able to play an immediate role in preventing real-time outbreaks of misinformation.”
Mr. Sayeed continued, “Television channels could have a continuous scroll or a corner of the screen where fact-checked misinformation from the entire day is constantly displayed, so viewers can see it at any time. Radio channels could follow the same method.”
“In addition, it’s possible to disseminate information in various ways across media outlets’ online profiles (such as posts and Reels on Facebook pages and vertical video content on TikTok and YouTube). The main point is that if promotion platforms with wide reach and large audiences, like media outlets, work simultaneously against misinformation, then the prevalence of misinformation can be significantly reduced, not just during elections but at all times.”
“In the past five months, numerous fake comments have been found spread in the names of political leaders. Rumor Scanner anticipates the spread and proliferation of misinformation in many such ways, including various forms of technology, in the days ahead. Jahangirnagar University teacher Sayeed Al-Zaman agrees with this. Citing examples of deepfake video usage in elections across various countries in 2024, he states, “No election, from distant North America across the Asia-Pacific region to the Far East, has been spared from the grip of deepfakes. However, a new danger is emerging due to Google’s advanced VIO-3 language-to-video generation model, and it’s name is hyperrealistic deepfakes. Observing its practice and spread on social media in the last four weeks since this model’s release, it can be inferred that it may emerge as a new challenge in the upcoming elections.”
Mr. Sayeed, however, also acknowledges that for now, there are no effective ways to combat this other than vigilance and awareness. He advises, “Political parties and their activists and supporters should not jump to conclusions without fully verifying any kind of provocative information and avoid creating unnecessary disturbances. This is because intolerance and impatience among people will be the biggest capital for misinformation peddlers during the election period.”
According to Professor Md. Mashiur Rahman of Rajshahi University, political parties show a noticeable lack of preparedness in several areas as elections approach. Firstly, he observes that parties likely lack their own fact-checking units or monitoring teams. Secondly, when fake comments or edited videos spread, their response is often a delayed counter-statement instead of a prompt, fact-based reaction. These statements are frequently not credible, which the opposition then tries to exploit. Thirdly, he notes that parties’ social media management is still weak and defensive. He fears that if this continues, the spread of disinformation will increase in the upcoming elections, and the political parties themselves could become its victims.
Professor Mashiur has opined that disinformation must be seen as a serious democratic challenge in the upcoming elections. He states the reasons as: it influences voter opinion, creates political division, violence, and confusion. Above all, it questions the credibility of the election process itself.
Sayeed Al-Zaman holds almost the same view. He stated, “Political disinformation is a deceptive issue for citizens, which can simultaneously undermine and confuse an individual citizen’s intellectual capacity. Such confusion creates a crisis not only for elections but also for any healthy political environment.”
However, when asked about how much disinformation will affect election results, the professor says, “Bangladesh’s political culture is highly complex. One reason for this is the low percentage of swing voters here. Therefore, it’s more likely that disinformation will not visibly influence election results.”
Both teachers believe that the activities of fact-checkers against disinformation are important to the media and to audiences/readers/listeners. Regarding leveraging this, Md. Mashiur Rahman stated, “The rapid verification by fact-checking organizations will become crucial during elections. Besides debunking false information, they can track the source of posts and, within their capacity, inform relevant authorities. They can publish fact-check reports in various formats and platforms, such as photocards and video stories. Their activities will, in turn, help create awareness among voters and increase media literacy.”
Regarding this, Sayeed Al-Zaman advises, “Since fact-checking organizations are professional entities concerning disinformation, they (the fact-checking organizations) should lead the collective efforts of all election stakeholders in combating misinformation.”
