Fake Footage and Forged Photos Flood Social Media Ahead of Elections Even from Verified Pages
As the election draws closer, the trend of circulating old videos with altered audio is on the rise. Analysis of viral clips reveals that “sensational headlines are being deliberately used” and the posts are being shared systematically across all major social media platforms. Alongside videos, the spread of fake photo cards is also intensifying. Fact-check outlets are consistently highlighting such instances of fabrication. Even verified pages belonging to public figures such as Joy and Taslima Nasreen have been found sharing this misinformation.
One recent example involved a widely circulated video claiming that the armed group Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) was “openly roaming with weapons in the Ruma area of Bandarban.” The footage showed several armed individuals in military attire. However, the Rumor Scanner team revealed that the video was not from Bandarban, but rather from the Philippines, depicting members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). Notably, the same footage was posted from the verified Facebook page of Sajib Wazed Joy, son of Awami League Chairperson Sheikh Hasina, who has been in exile in India after stepping down amid public unrest.
Similarly, a series of videos posted on various Facebook pages under the guise of breaking news claimed that “seven sacks and a chest full of money were found at the home of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s adviser Habibur Rahman Habib.” These clips, which garnered nearly a hundred thousand views, were identified as fabricated by Rumor Scanner. The footage was in fact created by repurposing visuals from the actual arrest of the BNP leader’s adviser.
Another manipulated video claimed that journalist Masud Kamal “might be arrested,” featuring an alleged statement from him saying, “I am journalist Masud Kamal speaking. I may be arrested.” Fact-checking revealed that Kamal never made such a remark, which he personally confirmed via his YouTube channel Kotha and his Facebook account. The viral video was actually a doctored version of his original statement, edited using digital tools to fit a false narrative.
In addition to videos, fake photo cards have been making the rounds online. One such card, bearing the design of broadcaster RTV, carried the headline: “Actress Badhan caught stealing in Thailand, freed after paying Tk 25 lakh in bail.” Fact-checking confirmed that RTV never published any report or card with this headline. Instead, the design of RTV’s official Facebook content was imitated to create the forged version.
The misinformation does not stop there. Some Facebook users have been sharing images with the claim that “a large cache of looted weapons was recovered from a mosque in Khilgaon one year after the mass uprising.” FactWatch investigations found that the weapons were not recently discovered, but had been recovered on 7 August 2024, immediately after the uprising, with help from local residents and subsequently handed over to the army. The Khilgaon Imanbag Jame Mosque’s imam and worshippers assisted in the recovery. Nevertheless, these old images were reshared from the verified Facebook account of controversial author Taslima Nasreen, allegedly to incite religious discord.
