Disinformation Dilemma: Digitally Right Decries Deepfake Danger in Bangladesh

Ahead of Bangladesh’s upcoming national election next year, Digitally Right, a digital rights and information research organization, has warned that politically motivated disinformation could pose a major threat to electoral integrity. The organization has recommended forming a non-partisan forum consisting of fact-checkers and journalists to combat the spread of misinformation.

Digitally Right expressed concern that false and hate-driven content may undermine public trust in the electoral process. The group called for stronger fact-checking training and closer collaboration between fact-checkers, election observers, and relevant stakeholders.

The call was made during an open discussion following a survey supported by The Asia Foundation, titled “Tackling Election Disinformation in Bangladesh: Building Collective Responses for Electoral Integrity.” The report was unveiled on Sunday, November 2, at a hotel in Dhaka.

Participants included Ananya Raihan, Chairperson of iSocial; Professor Suman Rahman, Head of Media Studies and Journalism at the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB); Shawkat Hossain, Head of Online at Prothom Alo; Emma Wind, Governance Adviser at FCDO; Kazi Faisal Bin Seraj, Country Representative of The Asia Foundation; and Miraj Ahmed Chowdhury, Managing Director of Digitally Right.

All the speakers urged immediate awareness and action against the spread of false information. Suman Rahman, Director of FactWatch, called for greater accountability from digital platforms such as Facebook and YouTube.

He said, “To counter misinformation, it is crucial to ensure accountability from platforms like Facebook and YouTube. The government must engage in dialogue with these platforms and bring them under regulatory oversight. Unfortunately, our current government lacks the leverage to influence these platforms, and due to the previous administration’s misuse of such authority, they have lost negotiation power altogether.”

Speaking about the media’s role, Shawkat Hossain said, “The traditional methods of verifying information used by mainstream media will no longer work. To break away from these outdated practices, they need specialized training in fact-checking.”

He further noted, “With the rapid advancement of AI, we are facing a massive challenge, and it may become increasingly difficult for fact-checkers to keep up with this progress.”

Unprecedented Disinformation Risk Ahead of the Election

Presenting the detailed findings of the study, Titir Abdullah, Head of Research at Digitally Right, said that Bangladesh’s online public sphere has become highly fragmented and fragile. The spread of political misinformation began to rise significantly in late 2024 and, without effective countermeasures, could reach a dangerous level before the 2026 general election.

According to the report, this surge in disinformation threatens electoral credibility, social stability, and the participation of women and marginalized communities. It also observed an increase in digital campaigning by political parties including BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and the National Citizen Party, often accompanied by manipulative and misleading content aimed at energizing supporters.

Strikingly, the report identified a strong online presence of the now-banned and ousted Awami League, which continues to play a major role in the misinformation ecosystem.

Digitally Right further noted that, apart from political actors, religious groups, foreign entities, and diaspora-based networks are engaging in a digital race to influence public opinion using AI-generated content, propaganda networks, and commercial content creators. Manipulated images, fabricated videos, and AI-generated material are reportedly being used against female candidates and minority communities, potentially fueling intimidation, harassment, and voter suppression.

A government official quoted in the study described fake news as one of the most destabilizing tools currently being used against the country.

Lack of Preparedness and Policy Gaps

The report highlighted alarming weaknesses in institutional readiness to confront disinformation risks. In a country of over 170 million people, there are only 40 to 50 institutional fact-checkers, and most mainstream media outlets lack dedicated verification teams. Journalists and fact-checkers often lack technological skills and coordination mechanisms.

The report also criticized the Election Commission’s insufficient policy frameworks and technical capacity, as well as the absence of digital monitoring initiatives among election observers and civil society organizations.

Commenting on the findings, Titir Abdullah said, “Ahead of the election, several new regulations are being developed hastily, many of which lack clear definitions or safeguards against misuse. This shows that adequate consultation with stakeholders has not taken place, leaving room for arbitrary enforcement. Such laws are often used to suppress legitimate criticism and dissent, as we have seen in the past. Before enacting any regulation, it is essential to assess its human rights implications and ensure protective measures through stakeholder consultation.”

The study, conducted under the ‘Promoting Effective, Responsive, and Inclusive Governance in Bangladesh’ program funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), concluded that Bangladesh remains ill-prepared to tackle the escalating threat of digital disinformation ahead of the next general election.

DBTeck/IH/OR