Fighting Falsehoods: PR Officers Trained in Digital Verification and Fact-Checking
In a proactive move to combat misinformation in the digital age, public relations officers from various government ministries participated in a two-day hands-on training program on digital verification and fact-checking. The training, held at the ICT Tower in Agargaon, was organized by the Department of Information and Communication Technology.
The closing session on Wednesday afternoon was attended by ICT Division Secretary Shish Haider Chowdhury. In his concluding remarks, he stated, “In today’s digital era, false and misleading information spreads rapidly, which can negatively impact government initiatives. If public relations officers develop fact-checking skills, they will be better equipped to deliver the government’s true message to the public.”
Sharing his reaction after completing the training, A.K.M. Kamrul Ahsan, Deputy Principal Information Officer at the Police Headquarters, said, “This type of training is very timely and essential in the present context. It will sharpen the skills of PR officers. By utilizing the knowledge and tools we’ve acquired, we will be able to effectively counter misinformation and propaganda against the country, the government, and various state institutions. This will help curb rumors and also enhance the image of the government and the nation. Such trainings should continue in the future.”
Md. Faisal Hasan, Deputy Principal Information Officer at the Ministry of Home Affairs, stated, “While social and mainstream media enable the free flow of information, they also allow the spread of misinformation, whether intentional or accidental. Therefore, ensuring factual accuracy through verification is crucial. Through this training, we’ve learned about various online and digital tools for fact-checking and received hands-on experience that will be very useful in our work.”
Dipankar Bar, Deputy Principal Information Officer at the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, shared, “The training covered digital content verification, the use of open-source intelligence tools, and real-world strategies for countering disinformation. Introducing future modules on deepfake detection and AI content identification, along with regular refresher courses, will further enhance the professional skills of public relations officers.”
Md. Alamgir Hossain, Senior Information Officer at the Ministry of Housing and Public Works, added, “This training will help in identifying and combating misinformation, disinformation, and rumors. The trainers introduced tools that can detect false information and shared practical techniques. These insights will aid in promoting accurate government information and countering misinformation effectively.”
Abdul Malek, PR Officer at the Ministry of Labour and Employment, remarked, “Through this training organized by the ICT Division, we have learned how to quickly identify rumors, misinformation, and propaganda, including deepfake technology-based fake news. We’ve gained skills in digital source cross-checking, data analysis, and identifying primary sources. We also now understand how to safely share personal information and which links to avoid. Tools like FactCheck.org, Snopes, and AFP Fact Check have been introduced as effective resources for verifying news.”
The trainers included Bangladesh’s leading fact-checker and media professional Qadruddin Shishir, formerly the editor of AFP Fact Check Bangla. He was joined by Minhaz Aman, a disinformation researcher and trainer, currently working as Lead Researcher at media research organization Dismiss Lab. The training was facilitated by Maruf Ahmed, an information integrity researcher.
At the inaugural session on Tuesday, Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister’s Advisor on the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, served as the chief guest. He remarked, “Social media is constantly flooded with misinformation, which must be countered immediately. Since August 5, Bangladesh has faced the biggest cyber war in its history. Misinformation, disinformation, and cyber warfare are now more rampant than ever. There is no alternative to enhancing our capacity.”
He further added, “With the upcoming election, the spread of false information in cyberspace will intensify. We must be prepared to resist this. False narratives destroy social harmony, so we cannot take them lightly. To check misinformation, we need facts and figures, and we must ensure that these are authentic.”
