Fabricated Frames and Falsehoods Flood Facebook
A photocard titled “‘Obscene photos of Barrister Fuad leaked’” first appeared on the Facebook page of the newspaper Dainik Ajker Kontho. It was then reposted by several other pages, including Katherkella, spreading rapidly across the platform. In reality, the image was taken from an Indian adult website and features an Indian man, not Barrister Fuad.
Similarly, several alarming and violent headlines—such as “Angry mob sets fire to National Citizens Party central office—Nasiruddin Patwary attacked,” “No Awami League activities allowed on 13 November,” and “Terrifying situation! Awami League brought truckloads of weapons to lock down Dhaka on the 13th! Army recovers!”—were disseminated widely on Facebook as part of orchestrated misinformation. Old video clips were also circulated, including one falsely claiming a “cocktail explosion” at the chief adviser’s residence, Jamuna. Fact-check investigations have since debunked all such claims.
False Claim on NCP Office Fire
A widely shared post claimed that the “National Citizens Party (NCP) central office was set on fire by protestors.” Though not massively viral, it caused significant alarm. Fact-check results confirmed the claim to be entirely false and unsupported by evidence. A Facebook page named Taposi Tabassum Urmi initiated the misinformation, which kept spreading. Over recent months, this page alone has disseminated at least 60 pieces of disinformation.
Misleading Video on Attack Against NCP Leader
Another viral post alleged that “NCP leader Nasiruddin Patwary was attacked by Jubo Dal leader Noyon following obscene remarks about BNP.” FactWatch investigations revealed the claim to be fabricated. The video used was actually from October of this year, documenting a road blockade by 43rd BCS non-cadre job applicants.
Fake Photocard Targeting Dr Muhammad Yunus
A photocard designed in the style of Daily Kaler Kantho was circulated with the headline “Dr Yunus under house arrest.” Rumor Scanner’s investigation confirmed that Kaler Kantho had never published such a report. The design was forged to mimic the newspaper’s authentic style.
Another viral video claimed “cocktail attack on Dr Yunus’s residence at Jamuna.” Forensic analysis confirmed the clip was actually from an incident on 11 November outside the International Crimes Tribunal Investigation Agency’s office in Dhanmondi.
Likewise, a photocard circulated in the name of Daily Janakantha regarding the chief adviser’s health was confirmed fake by the newspaper itself.
AI-Manipulated ‘Lockdown’ Claims
Multiple videos circulating with the headline “No Awami League activities will be allowed on 13 November” featured distorted audio of Police Headquarters AIG (Media) HM Shahadat Hossain. The Press Institute Bangladesh (PIB)’s BanglaFact team confirmed that these clips were AI-generated deepfakes.
According to BanglaFact, Awami League-affiliated propaganda pages have been aggressively posting fabricated content—including old videos and AI-manipulated clips—to promote the alleged success of the party's so-called “Dhaka lockdown” program. Some deepfakes even featured law enforcement officers.
One viral post claimed: “Terrifying situation! Awami League brought truckloads of locally-made weapons to lock down Dhaka on the 13th! Army recovers!” However, a DismissLab fact-check revealed the real incident involved a military operation responding to potential unrest over BNP nomination conflicts in Sathkhira-3. The video was unrelated to any Awami League action.
Reverse image and keyword searches revealed that all five videos circulated to support the supposed lockdown campaign were outdated clips, predating the present political developments.
Thus, FactWatch has labeled all associated claims as false.
Misinformation Targeting Barrister Fuad
FactWatch also investigated the viral allegation concerning “obscene photos” of Barrister Asaduzzaman Fuad. A detailed post on a Facebook page called Ajker Kontho claimed that Fuad had stayed at a hotel in Cox’s Bazar, where a staff member allegedly filmed him secretly by installing a camera near the bathroom vent. The post was published around 12:45 a.m. on 14 November.
However, analysis of the videos revealed the timestamp “13 August 2025,” contradicting the claim that the footage was from “last week” in November.
Further analysis compared screenshots from the video with authentic photos of Barrister Fuad. The investigation found several discrepancies, including the absence of the distinctive dark mark on Fuad’s forehead. Facial structural differences—particularly the shape of the nose—were also evident.
The images were analyzed using the “Face Comparison Tool by Py,” recognized by Bellingcat. The comparison showed less than 40% similarity, far below the 80% threshold required to confirm two images depict the same person.
Based on this analysis, FactWatch confirmed that the man in the video is not Barrister Asaduzzaman Fuad.
Experts Urge Public to Trust Verified News Sources
The pattern of misinformation indicates that deceptive captions and forged photocards mimicking reputable news outlets are driving these viral hoaxes. Coordinated dissemination amplifies their reach.
Experts advise the public to rely on verified mainstream news sources rather than social media posts, especially during periods of political tension.
DBTech/FF/IH/OR
