On January 22 at 11:52pm, when a private television station’s Facebook page posted a seemingly harmless election campaign video from Munshiganj district.
The clip showed senior party workers and supporters dancing enthusiastically to campaign slogans—an unusual but light-hearted expression of political emotion.
What followed, however, revealed the darker underbelly of the election season. Within hours, the video’s comment section was inundated with foul, abusive and provocative language, largely from supporters of rival political camps.
The clip was soon reshared satirically across multiple Facebook pages and anonymous IDs, where the discourse deteriorated further, descending into crude insults and politically charged abuse.
Notably, the original video contained no offensive content targeting any rival party or candidate. Yet it became a ‘trigger’ for a wave of online hostility—highlighting how social media has emerged as the most volatile and least regulated battleground of electioneering ahead of polling day.
As Bangladesh moves closer to the 12 February general election, digital campaigning—despite being clearly regulated by law—has spiralled into an increasingly toxic and largely uncontrolled arena, where abuse, misinformation and political intimidation flourish with little visible intervention from authorities.
As physical campaigning shifts toward so-called “environment-friendly” methods—curbing posters, banners and festoons—digital platforms are rapidly filling the vacuum. But unlike street campaigns, online political activity remains largely unchecked.
Analysts warn that this regulatory gap is allowing hate speech, misinformation and character assassination to spread freely, posing a serious threat to the overall election environment.
Speaking to TIMES of Bangladesh, K Ali AR Razi, a teacher at the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism at Chittagong University, said the situation is deteriorating daily.
“Extremely abusive language is spreading on social media, along with false information and misinformation,” he said. “There is virtually no effective control mechanism. Either the government and the Election Commission are not taking action, or they are unable to do so.”
He added that a significant portion of harmful content originates from abroad, beyond the reach of existing enforcement tools. “This required intervention much earlier,” he warned.
In Bangladesh, Facebook dominates social media, followed by YouTube for videos and WhatsApp for message sharing. TikTok is growing among youth, while X and Instagram have limited reach.
During national elections, social media spreads misleading propaganda, including fake allegations, doctored images, edited videos, and false polling information.
Anonymous and overseas accounts amplify hate speech, character attacks, and communal narratives, while satirical posts and coordinated comment attacks distort public opinion and undermine voter trust.
Israfil Khasru, head of the election campaign for BNP’s Chattogram-11 constituency, said the administration must take decisive steps to curb online abuse.
Jamaat-e-Islami Chattogram Metropolitan assistant secretary Morshedul Alam Chowdhury echoed the call, urging the government to bring digital campaigning under strict control.
On paper, the Election Commission has imposed multiple restrictions on social media campaigning. Candidates, parties or election agents are required to submit full identification details of their social media accounts—including account IDs and email addresses—to the returning officer before campaigning begins.
The use of artificial intelligence for malicious purposes is prohibited, along with hate speech, false or fabricated information, manipulated images or videos, personal attacks and content targeting women, minorities or religious and ethnic sentiments.
Enforcement remains a hollow promise
Despite clear legal frameworks, enforcement of the election code of conduct online is virtually non-existent. When asked whether candidates in Chattogram are complying with the rules, Senior Election Officer Bashir Ahmed deflected responsibility, telling journalists to seek answers elsewhere.
Under Bangladesh’s election framework, digital campaigning is not beyond scrutiny. The Representation of the People Order (RPO), the Election Commission’s Code of Conduct, and the Cyber Security Act, 2023 provide a solid legal basis to regulate online political behaviour.
The Cyber Security Act empowers authorities to act against false information, defamatory content, and material that threatens public order—precisely the violations that have become rampant on social media during election seasons.
Under the Chattogram District Administration, A seven-member committee has been formed to monitor online compliance. Its head, Additional Deputy Commissioner Pathan Mohammad Saiduzzaman, told TIMES of Bangladesh that the group has held one meeting to outline working procedures.
The committee is supposed to verify whether candidates have submitted their social media IDs as required—but so far, no complaints have been filed, and no action has been taken against anyone.
Bangladesh’s electoral history offers repeated warnings. Past national and local polls saw false posts, doctored images, and inflammatory Facebook content ignite political tension, sometimes spilling into street-level unrest.
Experts warn that this election is especially vulnerable: physical campaigning is restricted, digital outreach is expanding rapidly, and oversight remains weak.
The laws exist. The violations are blatant. Yet, as one media analyst summed up, “Bangladesh does not lack laws. What it lacks is timely enforcement in the digital space.”
