Bangladesh is grappling with digital sabotage and cyber terror, exacerbated by propaganda spread through the media of neighboring countries. Amid growing public dissatisfaction with the ruling Awami League, verified Facebook pages of the party are reportedly disseminating misinformation, while several coordinators and co-coordinators of student-led mass uprisings have been targeted by cyberattacks.
In a recent incident, the digital screen of a primary school in Chuadanga’s Jibannagar displayed the ominous message: “Awami League will return in a more dangerous form.”
Observers suggest that the Awami League’s think tank, CRI, is being blamed for orchestrating such acts of digital and social terror. The lax enforcement of digital security laws has worsened the situation, leading to a geometric rise in fake news and transforming social media platforms into hubs of propaganda.
As of Wednesday evening, five Facebook accounts linked to leaders of an anti-discrimination student movement have reportedly been hacked. Among them are Sayed Abdullah, Talat Rafi, and Dhaka University Shibir President Sadik Qayem, whose accounts have allegedly been compromised. Sources reveal that others have deactivated their accounts as a precaution.
In fear of similar attacks, coordinators Hasnat Abdullah, Sarjis Alam, and advisor Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan have voluntarily deactivated their Facebook accounts. ICT advisor Mohammad Nahid Islam’s consultant, Faiz Tayyeb Ahmed, confirmed the attacks but refrained from revealing the names of those affected.
Reports indicate that the deactivation of the coordinators’ Facebook accounts began on Wednesday evening. A local cybersecurity platform also confirmed the incident, attributing the cyberattacks to a hacker group called “Crack Platoon,” which has claimed responsibility for the breaches.
Efforts are underway to recover the compromised accounts. Faiz Tayyeb Ahmed stated on Wednesday night that the ICT Division is in communication with Meta’s Asia-Pacific officials to address the issue.
Meanwhile, the digital display incident at Andulbaria Girls’ Government Primary School in Jibannagar has sparked significant local concern. According to locals, the screen displayed the message “Awami League will return in a more dangerous form” just before the Maghrib prayer, creating tension in the area.
Headmaster Shafiqul Rahman reported that the message appeared on the school’s digital server unexpectedly. Upon being informed, the incident was promptly reported to the Shahapur police camp in-charge and the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO). The UNO arrived at the scene and shut down the server.
Jibannagar UNO Md. Al Amin confirmed the incident and announced the formation of a three-member investigation committee to probe the matter. Legal action will follow upon completion of the investigation within two working days.
