A total of 137 fake Facebook accounts, pages and groups using the name and photograph of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman have been identified, while a government fact-checking initiative has conducted 1,172 fact-checks to counter fake news, misinformation, hate speech and online character assassination.
This information was disclosed while replying to a starred question from BNP lawmaker Sherin Sultana (Women Seat-2) during the question-and-answer session in the House.
He was responding to a question from Shireen Sultana, an MP from a reserved women’s seat, who sought details of measures taken by the ministry to raise public awareness, speed up the resolution of complaints and strengthen co-ordination among relevant agencies.
Her question focused on the circulation of manipulated images of women on social media, defamation and blackmail through fake accounts, and online harassment of children.
In reply, Yaser Khan Chowdhury said various initiatives were under way to raise awareness and prevent online harassment of children, blackmail and defamation through fake accounts, as well as the circulation of manipulated photographs of women.
He said BanglaFact, a digital initiative of the Press Institute Bangladesh (PIB), was working to counter false propaganda, slander and misleading news.
The state minister said 19 websites mimicking newspapers and television channels to spread propaganda and misinformation had been identified. BanglaFact had also identified more than 800 Facebook accounts and over 100 accounts on X spreading false and misleading information.
Of the 1,172 fact-checks conducted so far, 552 had been published since the present government took office, he added.
BanglaFact currently verifies an average of three to five claims a day and publishes reports, reels and videos, the state minister said. A fact-checking manual would also be published shortly for journalists and the general public.
He added that features and awareness messages based on information provided by public relations officers of different ministries were being regularly published on the Department of Information’s official Facebook page and in national daily newspapers to raise public awareness.
