Disinformation and hate-driven campaigns pose a grave threat to electoral integrity, social cohesion and the participation of women and marginalised communities in the coming national election, according to a new study released in Dhaka on Saturday.
The study titled 鈥楾ackling election disinformation in Bangladesh: building collective responses for electoral integrity鈥� has been conducted by Digitally Right, a Dhaka-based digital rights and information research organisation, according to a press release.
The study was carried out with support from The Asia Foundation under the 鈥楶romoting effective, responsive and inclusive governance in Bangladesh鈥� programme, funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office of the United Kingdom.
The report finds that Bangladesh鈥檚 online information environment has become increasingly fragile and fragmented, as political parties, religious groups and foreign or diaspora-based influencers engage in a 鈥榙igital contest鈥� to shape public opinion through content generated by artificial intelligence, organised propaganda networks and commercially driven content creators.
Disinformation, the study warns, is no longer confined to political rivalries and it is eroding public trust, deepening communal divisions and silencing women鈥檚 voices online.
Fabricated videos, synthetic images and doctored materials have already been used to target women candidates and minority groups, creating risks of harassment, intimidation, and voter suppression as the election draws nearer.
Despite these mounting challenges, the country鈥檚 preparedness remains 鈥榓larmingly limited鈥�, the study observes, saying that Bangladesh has only 40鈥�50 professional fact-checkers for a population of over 170 million, and most mainstream media outlets still lack dedicated verification desks.
Fact-checkers and journalists have little access to modern tools or coordinated mechanisms, while civil society organisations and election observers remain largely absent from digital monitoring.
Social media platforms rarely engage with national stakeholders, and the Election Commission lacks the institutional framework and technical expertise to address these threats effectively.
鈥楾he gap between risk and capacity is dangerously wide now,鈥� the report warns.
Participants at the event urged stronger collaboration between regulators, media outlets and technology companies to uphold information integrity ahead of the polls.
Shawkat Hossain, head of online at Prothom Alo, said that traditional media鈥檚 traditional approach to fact-checking would not work anymore.
He added that advances in artificial intelligence were creating challenges that fact-checkers could hardly keep up with.
Professor Sumon Rahman, head of media studies and journalism at the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh, stressed the need for platform accountability, saying that the government had lost negotiating power over social media companies due to its past arbitrary actions.
Abdullah Titir, head of research at Digitally Right, said that several new regulations appeared to have been enacted with the election in mind, without clear definitions or adequate safeguards.
Such gaps, she warned, could allow arbitrary implementation and stifle legitimate dissent.
She called for broader consultation with stakeholders to ensure that regulatory measures protect human rights while curbing online falsehoods.
Among others present at the event were Ananya Raihan, chairperson of iSocial, Emma Wind, governance adviser of the FCDO, Kazi Faisal Bin Seraj, country representative of The Asia Foundation, and Miraj Ahmed Chowdhury, managing director of Digitally Right.
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