The government is shifting toward treating digital disinformation and hate speech as criminal offences requiring formal legal consequences, said Prime Minister’s Adviser Zahed Ur Rahman.
Speaking at a seminar on fake news organised by the Bangladesh Enterprise Institute (BEI) on Thursday, Zahed emphasised that while previous regimes used regulations for oppression, a democratic government must treat these acts as illegal to maintain social discipline and protect citizens’ rights.
“Some form of legal intervention is necessary because the negativity inherent in social media algorithms makes it difficult to counter disinformation through positive narratives alone,” the adviser explained.
He noted that algorithms are often designed to amplify content that triggers impulses like jealousy, vengeance, and greed, making sensationalist fake news spread faster than fact-checks.
The adviser highlighted that spreading disinformation – including cyberbullying against women – is a serious crime. To address this, a lawyers’ panel has been established in collaboration with the Ministry of Information to issue legal notices and initiate legitimate legal processes against offenders.
He assured the audience that these steps would be transparent and “legitimate,” contrasting them with the extrajudicial actions or “special power acts” used by past autocratic administrations.
The adviser also pointed to social media monetisation as a primary driver of disinformation, where users create inflammatory “clickbait” to generate revenue through views.
Regarding institutional transparency, the adviser announced that formal steps have been taken to establish a new Information Commission. A search committee has already been formed, and the commission is expected to be functional shortly.
He emphasised that this new iteration is intended to be more effective than its predecessors.
Former ambassador and BEI President Humayun Kabir noted that technology alone cannot counter fake news, calling for a “whole-of-society approach” to resist the menace. Dutch Ambassador Joris Van Bommel and other guests also spoke at the event.
