Over the last decade, Bangladesh has rapidly transformed into a leading digital society, largely due to increased internet access and smartphone usage. Social media platforms have shifted from mere communication tools to significant players in political influence, commercial competition, ideological mobilisation, and character assassination. Within this context, especially powerful are the bot armies and organised troll networks, which effectively manipulate online narratives.
On platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, and X, Bangladesh has witnessed the rise of a form of artificial public opinion that often bears little resemblance to reality. Viral trends, outrage campaigns, and waves of coordinated comments can create the illusion of overwhelming consensus, even when that consensus does not exist in society.
Recently, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Rehan Asif Asad claimed that nearly 60 to 70 percent of the country’s cyber traffic may consist of bots or artificial activity. His remarks highlight an increasingly urgent concern: much of what appears to be public engagement online may actually be orchestrated manipulation. Without distinguishing between organic and non-organic traffic, policymakers, journalists, and ordinary citizens risk misunderstanding the real public mood.
The impact of automated bot networks is also increasingly evident on the international stage. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has recently blamed Pakistan for running a shadow campaign through bot farms and fake social media accounts to weaken US-Israel relations. According to the Israeli Prime Minister, a coordinated information war to weaken the strong alliance between the United States and Israel is being run in several countries, such as Pakistan.
The issue of computational propaganda is a global phenomenon, with institutions like the Oxford Internet Institute highlighting its impact on political behaviour. Coordinated digital campaigns during elections in countries including the United States, India, Brazil, and the Philippines have fueled polarisation, disseminated misinformation, and stifled dissent. Bangladesh is currently undergoing a similar digital transformation.
The term ‘bot’ is derived from ‘robot’ and refers to software applications designed to mimic human behaviour online. In social media, bots serve various roles such as promoting political agendas, attacking opponents, and spreading misinformation, leveraging advanced artificial intelligence to produce human-like language patterns. Additionally, human-operated troll armies, consisting of individuals managing multiple fake profiles, facilitate coordinated harassment, rumour spreading, and narrative manipulation. These networks, often employed by political and ideological organisations, may have a single operator controlling numerous accounts.
When people repeatedly encounter hundreds of similar comments, slogans, or reactions online, they often assume those opinions reflect the majority view. Social psychologists describe this as the ‘bandwagon effect,’ the tendency of individuals to adopt beliefs simply because they appear popular. In political communication, the strategy is known as ‘astroturfing’: creating an artificial impression of grassroots public support. In reality, it is a sophisticated form of digital deception.
In Bangladesh’s increasingly polarised political culture, nearly all major actors appear to have embraced this strategy. Ruling and opposition parties alike use digital campaigns to amplify favourable narratives and undermine rivals. In many cases, misleading or manipulated content, including deepfakes and edited videos, is first circulated online and then reinforced through coordinated bot activity to create a sense of authenticity. As a result, the line between truth and fabrication is becoming dangerously blurred.
However, bots do not always win. The national elections held this past February in Bangladesh serve as a prime case study. The fierce online narratives and bot-driven popularity of certain factions stood in stark contrast to the actual electoral outcomes. It proved a crucial point: while bots can manufacture digital noise, they cannot change ground realities or cast real ballots. Yet, the collateral damage remains immense. The failed manipulation attempts leave behind a highly toxic environment, eroding public trust in all information.
Human rights activists and student protesters have also experienced organised online attacks. During movements surrounding road safety, quota reform, or allegations of state abuse, protesters were often branded ‘anti-state,’ ‘foreign agents,’ or ‘traitors’ through systematic digital campaigns. Such tactics shift public attention away from legitimate demands and instead frame dissent as a threat. Furthermore, politicians, journalists, mass media, human rights defenders, and celebrities are prime targets for digital suppression. When a journalist exposes corruption, troll farms often initiate mass reporting campaigns. Thousands of fake accounts simultaneously report the journalist’s page for violating community standards. International technology companies, including Meta, have recognised coordinated manipulation networks in Bangladesh. Meta’s Adversarial Threat Reports detail the removal of various networks involved in coordinated inauthentic behaviour (CIB), which aimed to generate fake support for political interests and disseminate disinformation against rivals.
The influence of bot culture has also spread beyond politics into the corporate world. Fake review campaigns, organised boycotts, artificial hype surrounding products, and coordinated attacks against rival brands are increasingly common. This distorts fair competition and misleads consumers, creating an unethical digital marketplace.
For ordinary users, one of the greatest challenges is recognising the difference between genuine public opinion and orchestrated propaganda. But certain warning signs are common: hundreds of comments appearing within seconds of a post, repeated use of identical language, suspiciously empty profiles, recently created accounts, or unrealistic engagement patterns. Yet technological awareness alone is insufficient. What matters more is cultivating a culture of verification and critical thinking.
Democracy is built on the pillars of free expression, factual information, and informed citizenry. The normalisation of manufactured public opinion is as dangerous to democratic health as physical intimidation or censorship. To navigate out of this digital quicksand, a multi-pronged approach is essential.
First, tech giants must heavily invest in improving their Natural Language Processing (NLP) capabilities for the Bengali language. Without a nuanced understanding of local context and language, their moderation tools will remain easily exploitable. Second, governments should take action against organised digital manipulation and troll farms. However, any regulatory framework must protect freedom of expression rather than becoming another instrument of censorship. Laws designed to combat misinformation should never be weaponised against legitimate criticism or independent journalism. Third, the ultimate defense against digital manipulation is an educated populace. Digital literacy and critical thinking must be integrated into the national curriculum. Citizens must be taught how to identify the hallmarks of bot activity, such as rapid-fire identical comments, profiles lacking real-world digital footprints, and highly polarising rhetoric.
We must remember that the loudest voice on our newsfeeds is no longer guaranteed to be the voice of the majority; often, it is simply the voice with the best algorithm and the deepest pockets. The true challenge of our time is ensuring that the human conscience is not drowned out by the mechanical roar of the bot.
The writer is an academic and columnist. Email: [email protected]
