Elias Hossain’s Facebook Accounts Disappear Amid Uncertainty

The second Facebook account of journalist and online activist Elias Hossain has been inaccessible since Saturday night, December 20, raising questions over whether the account was deactivated by Hossain himself or taken down by Meta, Facebook’s parent company. The matter could not be immediately confirmed.

Earlier, from Friday night, December 19, Elias Hossain’s primary Facebook account and page also became unavailable. Multiple sources said Meta had removed those accounts. On Saturday, Elias briefly became active using a second account, but that profile too disappeared later that night. However, updates have since been posted from a third account, where a post stated: “I have temporarily unpublished my second page; it will be made public again shortly.”

According to sources, Meta removed Elias Hossain’s first account the day after violent incidents that occurred late at night on December 15. Although Meta has not issued any official statement, several media outlets reported the account removals. Bangladesh’s first English-language television channel, Centraist Nation TV, also claimed in a Facebook post that Meta had taken down Elias Hossain’s account, which reportedly had around two million followers.

For a long time, Elias Hossain—based in the United States—has been vocal on political and social issues through online platforms, and his role during the July uprising drew widespread attention. With a massive follower base, Facebook had been his primary platform for expressing opinions. In contrast, despite the Awami League being ousted and its activities temporarily restricted following the July uprising, the party’s verified Facebook page has continued to share views and directives. Against this backdrop, the sudden removal of Elias Hossain’s accounts has sparked widespread debate and discussion on social media.

The issue gained further attention after the news of the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson of the Inqilab Mancha. On Thursday night, allegations emerged that incendiary posts were shared from Elias Hossain’s Facebook account, allegedly calling for attacks on the offices of two leading national dailies—Prothom Alo and The Daily Star. Following those posts, incidents of vandalism and arson were reported at media offices in Karwan Bazar and Farmgate, as well as attacks on cultural institutions such as Chhayanaut and Udichi.

According to multiple media reports, Elias Hossain had around two million followers on his personal Facebook account and approximately 2.2 million followers on his verified page. Since Friday night, both platforms have remained inaccessible. While Meta has yet to issue an official statement, it is widely believed that the action may have been taken under Meta’s Community Standards, citing concerns over content that could incite violence or pose risks to public safety.

DBTech/FM/EK/OR