BanglaFact Flags Fabricated Footage and Fragmented Facts
Several recent viral posts on social media have been found to be misleading, involving misrepresented video footage and incomplete reporting, according to a verification conducted by BanglaFact, the fact-check and media research unit of the Press Institute of Bangladesh (PIB).
BanglaFact reports that a video showing a bus set ablaze, which has been widely circulated as a recent incident, is in fact from 2023. “The video shows a Wellcome Paribahan bus being torched in Shyamoli, Dhaka, during a blockade called by the BNP in 2023,” the team confirmed. The footage is now being falsely portrayed as a current event.
Similarly, a photo card shared by the official Facebook page of the Bangladesh Awami League, claiming to show a recent Dhaka South Awami League procession, actually features a video from 2020 in Kushtia. BanglaFact supported their claim with comparative analysis of two video clips.
In another case of misinformation, reports on the suspension of a Chattogram Port Authority employee have omitted key developments. On April 29, senior operator Md. Yasin from the port’s mechanical division was temporarily suspended for allegedly violating service regulations. However, the order was later withdrawn. Chattogram Port Secretary Md. Omar Faruk confirmed to bdnews24.com on May 17, “He was temporarily suspended. But a few days later, based on his appeal, the disciplinary action was revoked by the relevant department.”
Despite this, Chattogram-based news portals CVoice and News Chattogram 24 reported only the suspension, without mentioning its revocation. According to BanglaFact, such incomplete reporting can mislead the public by failing to present the full picture.
The fact-checking agency emphasized the importance of contextual accuracy in media reporting, especially in times of heightened political sensitivity.
