Despite facing widespread public disapproval on the ground, the Awami League remains active in the virtual realm, continuing its propaganda on Facebook and Twitter. The party has maintained a strong presence on social media platforms for years. In February 2014, Facebook officially recognized the Awami League’s official page, which has since amassed over 3.5 million followers.
Initially managed by the CRI (Center for Research and Information) team during its time in power, the page frequently featured live programs, videos, news clips, and speeches by the party’s leadership to motivate its members. While live programs have ceased, the page now shares photo cards, news videos, and images of sporadic protests to keep its followers engaged. On average, six posts are published daily—four times more than during its tenure in power—yet engagement metrics like reach and interactions have not seen a corresponding rise. Additionally, fact-checkers have flagged numerous posts as containing misinformation.
For instance, on Wednesday at 4 PM, the page posted a photo card referencing a newspaper article with the caption, “Yunus’s reforms have left Bangladesh disoriented. When will the nation be free?” This post sparked mixed reactions. A Facebook user, H.M. Anamul Islam, commented, “We are better off than before. Factory wages have increased without protests, Alhamdulillah,” garnering over a hundred likes. However, others like Husain Ahmed Jalalpuri asked, “Any updates on Apa (Sheikh Hasina)?” While some users posted sarcastic comments like, “Now is this page your only hope?”
The post received 6,000 views within 12 hours, with over 2,000 “haha” reactions and 1,000 comments, many of which ridiculed the party.
This online scrutiny isn’t new for the Awami League. In June 2023, Meta removed 50 Facebook accounts and 98 pages linked to the party, citing misinformation campaigns. According to Meta’s first-quarter 2024 report, these accounts collectively had 3.4 million followers and spent $60 on ads. The party’s verified Facebook page faced further criticism after Sheikh Hasina fled to India following an uprising on August 5, 2024. Since then, sporadic video content has been posted, urging members to share information through a U.S.-based WhatsApp number.
Additionally, controversies arose over misinformation shared on the party’s social media pages. For example, photos posted in December 2024 claiming to depict Victory Day celebrations were later debunked by fact-checkers as being from 2022. Allegations of using bot networks also surfaced, with research by DismissLab identifying 1,369 fake Facebook accounts used to post over 21,000 comments supporting the Awami League in the lead-up to the January 7 elections. These accounts posted identical comments on multiple posts, suggesting a coordinated effort to manipulate public opinion.
Despite its efforts to remain relevant online, the Awami League’s digital campaigns appear to be drawing more criticism than support, as the party continues to face backlash both on and offline.
