Senior Secretary Urges Boldness and Digital Literacy to Tackle Misinformation
As misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation continue to rise, the Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration has called for increased digital literacy and courage among information officers to combat this growing threat.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of a two-day training workshop on digital verification and fact-checking held Monday evening at the BCC conference room in the ICT Tower, Agargaon, the Senior Secretary emphasized, “The biggest reason behind rumors is that they are entertaining and believable. History shows that autocracy never returns.”
Officials from 64 district information offices, 4 upazila-level offices, and 7 regional offices participated in the workshop. During the certificate distribution, Senior Secretary Dr. Md. Mokhlesur Rahman underscored that the ICT sector has seen the most looting, recommending that every information officer be provided with a laptop. Addressing the attendees, he said, “Negative content spreads fast. It affects human life significantly. We must overcome it. Information officers must spread positive news through social media.”
He further remarked, “IMO is the weakest messaging app. Even WhatsApp can be accessed through Pegasus. However, unless it’s a matter of treason or national sensitivity, the government has no interest in such surveillance.” He praised the bravery of Dr. Lubna, Chair of the Bangla Department at Jahangirnagar University, saying, “She has shown courage in the past 16 years, unlike many men in society and the state. Everyone must be brave for the country. Change must begin with oneself. We must value time and disseminate government information at district and upazila levels using short, clear language, videos, and entertainment.”
In his special remarks, Director General of the Department of Mass Communication, Md. Fayzul Haque, said, “Although rumors are a global issue, their impact is particularly severe in Bangladesh. We must remain vigilant about six types of rumors. Both overly clever individuals and fools tend to spread rumors. The knowledge gained through training must be applied. With elections approaching, the risk of widespread rumor-mongering is high. We must identify rumor spreaders. I urge the ICT Division to provide each information officer with a laptop.”
Presiding over the session, Secretary Mamunur Rashid Bhuiyan commented, “Viral is a virus. It undermines national cohesion. We must identify and raise awareness about it.”
At the event’s conclusion, five trainees received certificates on stage from the Senior Secretary, who also shook hands with other participants before leaving.
