As Bangladesh approaches its 13th National Parliamentary Election on February 12, 2026, the electoral process is facing two major challenges: the rising tide of misinformation and the surge in political ads on social media.
Misinformation, including fabricated statements, videos, and quotes, is being used to influence public opinion and discredit political opponents. Meanwhile, social media platforms like Facebook are flooded with political ads, many of which go undetected by Meta’s detection system. This combination of misinformation and unregulated political advertising threatens to undermine the integrity of the 2026 election, leaving voters confused and uncertain.
Most of the misinformation has centered around three major political parties: the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, and the National Citizen Party (NCP). Even the banned Awami League has become a target of misinformation. The false claims include AI-generated content and doctored images circulating on Facebook and YouTube. These fabricated claims range from fake phone calls from the United Nations to fictitious surveys predicting the number of seats various parties will win in the election. False reports about Jamaat-e-Islami’s victory, Awami League’s popularity, and BNP’s alleged power grab have been strategically used to shape public perception.
Between November 16 and December 15, fact-checking organizations identified and debunked 63 false claims related to the election, with another 50 debunked the previous month, marking a 26% increase in misinformation.
Dismislab’s investigation identified two main types of misinformation: promoting certain political parties, especially the BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and NCP, and discrediting rivals, especially the BNP. Many of these false claims portrayed these parties as enjoying stronger popular support or international backing than they actually do.
One such claim involved a fabricated photocard allegedly from Banglavision, claiming that Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher, Nayeb-e-Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami, had received a phone call from the UN Secretary-General about the referendum.
Another fake news report falsely claimed that ambassadors from 13 countries had endorsed Jamaat-e-Islami’s political rise. Similarly, a video spread on Facebook and YouTube featuring a purported police officer claiming that Jamaat-e-Islami would win 190 seats in the election, along with fabricated reports on implementing Quranic rule. Fact-checkers found the video to be AI-generated and false.
Misinformation has also been used to portray the Awami League, despite being banned from political activity, in a favorable light. One fabricated video claimed that 75% of Bangladeshis supported the Awami League, while another cited a fake Reuters report suggesting nearly half of voters supported the party under Sheikh Hasina’s leadership. Both claims were proven false.
Conversely, false claims have been spread to attack the BNP, often through AI-generated videos and fake quotes. One video claimed that BNP leader Tarique Rahman promised greater privileges if the party came to power, while others falsely attributed remarks to Mahmudur Rahman, editor of Amar Desh, accusing BNP of attempting to seize power through fraud. Falsehoods have also spread about candidate nominations, such as a fake document claiming BNP had issued a final list of nominees for Sylhet division. In another case, images of Jamaat-e-Islami candidates were altered to include Pakistani flags, further sowing confusion.
The increasing spread of misinformation has complicated the election process and made it difficult for voters to discern the truth. Despite the efforts of fact-checkers, the spread of falsehoods continues to shape public opinion, potentially influencing the election’s outcome.
Political advertising on social media has added another layer of complexity. While political ads are legal, Meta’s rules require full disclosure of sponsors and clear categorization of political content. However, a recent investigation by Dismislab revealed significant flaws in Meta’s detection system, leaving many political ads undetected.
Between December 7-12, 2025, Dismislab analyzed Meta’s Ad Library and found over 502 ads promoting political content or political parties. Despite clear violations of Meta’s policies, at least 41 ads were not flagged as political, and 32 failed to include the mandatory sponsor disclaimer. These ads, which promoted political parties or featured their logos on products like T-shirts, went unnoticed by Meta’s system, revealing a significant gap between the platform’s policies and their enforcement.
One example involved an ad promoting the National Citizen Party (NCP), which Meta failed to classify as political, despite the ad featuring the party’s name and election symbol. Similarly, an ad for BNP promoting a candidate and giving voting instructions slipped through Meta’s system without proper identification. Other ads selling political-branded products, such as BNP-branded hoodies, were removed for lacking a disclaimer, but other similar ads remained.
The investigation highlights Meta’s inability to detect political ads in Bangla and its failure to properly address political content in the local context. As the election approaches, concerns about Meta’s ability to regulate political content and prevent foreign interference or misinformation grow. If these issues persist, they could deepen political polarization and fuel allegations of bias.
