Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested six individuals on charges of spreading offensive posts using images of Ishrat Shams Moli, wife of Prime Minister’s Defence Adviser AKM Shamsul Islam.
Alongside the adviser’s wife, four ministers and state ministers, as well as their families, were similarly harassed.
According to the force, the arrestees belong to an organised gang that creates and circulates indecent, defamatory, and distasteful photos and videos of important high-ranking government officials and various political personalities on social media.
The law enforcement agency confirmed that these images and videos were produced using Artificial Intelligence (AI).
On Thursday, Mamun Laskar Sarkar and Robin Taj were arrested in Dhaka, followed by the arrests of Joynal Abedin Manik and Md Helal Uddin from Cumilla and Chattogram on Friday. They have already been interrogated under police remand.
On Saturday, Nazrul Islam and Md Ismail alias Rubel were also taken into custody.
At a briefing on Sunday afternoon, RAB’s Media Wing Director MZM Intekhab Chowdhury, said since the latter part of last year, AI-generated indecent, defamatory, and misleading photos and videos of important government figures were being systematically spread through various Facebook IDs, groups, pages, YouTube channels, and Telegram groups.
Multiple cases were filed as these contents tarnished the social dignity of the individuals involved. Following the harassment of the adviser’s wife, a case was lodged at Gulshan Police Station, prompting investigations by the police and several other agencies.
After the arrest of the six individuals, various digital devices used by them were seized.
Evidence found in these devices is being analysed to identify the entire network, the director said. Intekhab added that Tanvir Hasan Zoha, a Prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) and a digital forensic expert, is providing technical assistance in the investigation.
Zoha said digital forensic analysis revealed multiple photos and videos circulating on social media were created using AI technology. These contents were presented as real events and disseminated in a coordinated manner across various domestic and foreign online groups and platforms.
The investigation has uncovered information about an organised network that used district-based online groups and bot networks to spread these contents rapidly.
RAB’s Media Wing director told TIMES of Bangladesh, “Detectives have found their involvement in the investigation of four complaints.”
