Views Bangladesh Logo

Social media

Misinfo in action: Bangladesh netizens swayed over a decade

Kamrul  Hasan

Kamrul Hasan

While Bangladesh is trying its fullest to reap benefits of digital connectivity and access to modern communication technologies, netizens come under the sway of cyber propaganda and misinformation.The Digital Bangladesh campaign has appeared boomerang and harmed the image of Awami League led government since a last few years.

From early 2000s, the fourth industrial revulsion is promoting the use of the Industrial Internet of Things (IOT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and conjunctive database that is not only enable smart technology to facilitate automation, but also interact with each other. Bangladesh could not be able to comply with the first two industrial revolution took place. And unfortunately, although the country has opportunities to get the later two, the then governments failed to cope up with the changing global developments.

Keeping their election mandate of National Election 2008, the Awami League (AL) led government for the first time let the country people to taste the real benefit of the digital revolution, mainly after 2010. With receiving the advantages of the digital technologies and services, the country, especially the Awami League government also received many disadvantages as well.

It has been observed that since 2012, quick and speedy access to social media platforms caused the spread of cyber propaganda, misinformation and rumours which contributed in several numbers of communal and political attacks. The recent quota reform movement proved to be the worst example of the claim.

According to the cyber and technology experts, the main role misinformation has played is intensifying agitation and violence in the clashes during the ongoing demonstrations.

What is misinformation and how it works


According to SOUTH WEST GRID FOR LEARNING TRUST ("SWGFLT") – in their content misinformation on social media guidance impact and support --- ‘misinformation’ is defined as ‘false information that is spread, regardless of whether there is intent to mislead’. Misinformation is a more technical term for ‘fake news’ and fake digital contents and is something that can spread quickly across various platforms such as social media channels.

In the midst of social media’s instant reach, misinformation can quickly spread and induce even more hysteria or fear.

Dr James Alan Fox, a criminology professor of Northeastern University in USA, raises a thought-provoking point of spreading misinformation: “In the face of hyperbolic media coverage and public fear, we tend to embrace easy solutions and quick fixes that don’t necessarily work and sometimes make matters worse.”

According to the officials of In Anti Terrorism Unit (ATU) of police, a total of 250 people were arrested between 2015 and 2017 for their involvement in militancy while 82 percent of them were found to be radicalized through social media contents.

Misinformation fuelled the violence


Observing the major violent incidents, it has been seen that apart from political movement, misinformation plays the key role behind evert agitation which intensified the violence in a level causing embarrassment for the government.
The country had witnessed some communal violence and militant attacks previously where misinformation played the crucial roles.

The Buddhist community in Ramu of Cox's Bazar came under attack in late September 2012 where attackers unleashed violence on this minority community on the pretext that a Buddhist man, Uttam Barua, demeaned Islam on Facebook. Same reason would be found behind the scene of the intensification of communal attacks on Hindus in October 2016 in Nasirnagar upazila of Brahmanbaria. Over 50 houses of Hindu community people were burned down and looted in Rangpur Sadar and Gangachar area in 2017 and the attacks were not any exceptions.

The latest massive incident was seen in October 2021, where such rampage took place targeting the Hindu communities across Bangladesh during the Durga Puja festival. This happened following the spread of a viral video where Quran was kept on the feet of and idol at a temple. Several temples and makeshift worship arrangements were vandalized all over Bangladesh, especially in Cumilla and Chandpur.

The spread of cyber propaganda also caused a number of attacks on freethinkers, bloggers and writers.

Role of misinformation in qouta reform movement


In 2018, Bangladesh government abolished all sorts of quotas in first and second-class government jobs as per the demands of the reformists. But quota system once again entered the public discussion on June 5 this year as the High Court nullified the government's 2018 notification. Soon after the verdict was delivered, students again took to the streets protesting the court order.

On July 14, addressing a press briefing at Ganabhaban, prime minister Sheikh Hasina said, ‘I’ve nothing to do regarding the quota issue.’ She said adding that the matter is under trial and it will be settled in the court.

Replying to a question, the prime minister said, ‘If the grandchildren of freedom fighters don’t get quota benefits, should the grandchildren of Razakars will get those?’

The statement got twisted in several forms and here the misinformation, although seemingly not much harmful, started spreading through Facebook.

Some people were seen asking young students to find out why their parents or grandparents did not participate in the freedom fight directly, terming it as a drawback in their family history. That ultimately redirect the conversation of the prime minister in a wrong direction and instigated verbal fights among the netizens.

Seeing a partial statement of the premier on Facebook, the students of Dhaka University started chanting a slogan – Tumi ke? Ami Ke? Razakar. Razakar. Ke boleche? Ke boleche? Soirachar. Soirachar. (Who are you? Who am I you? Razakar. Razakar. Who said? Who said? Dictator. Dictator.)

But half of the slogan was spread over the social media rapidly on that night (July 14) that sparked huge debate among the people and a tensed situation surfaced.

Condemning prime minister's statement, students of Dhaka University took to the street the next morning. Later, the entire area turned into a battlefield when they locked horn with the members of Bangladesh Chhatra League. The protest intensified and spread across the country leaving nearly 150 people dead and scores injured.

Later on July 27, the prime minister made it clear to the media that she did not termed the protesters as ‘razaker’.

Several social media page, like basher Kella, Noyon (one of the major pages that spread and instigate terrorism) seen spreading misinformation, fake videos and rumours through their pages centering the violent rampage across Dhaka. These rumours sparked anger among the netizens and situation became adverse. A complete internet shutdown brought the situation under control.

Qadaruddin Shishir said that the protest that started on a specific demand went through a lot of things. "And definitely, spread of so many misinformation intensified the violence."

Shishir claimed that both parties circulated fake information centering the violence on their respective Facebook pages.

Tackling online propaganda should get priority in government cyber security approach

On November 17, 2023, the government published an official gazette forming new 'National Cyber Security Agency' which will replace the previous 'Digital Security Agency'. As per official sources, the Cyber Security Agency will be responsible for monitoring online communications and countering cybercrimes. But the agency seems to make any significant progress since then.

The major unit that works on cyber security in the country is the Cyber Crime Investigation Division under Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime under Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

Contacted, Md Faruk Hossain, DC (Media and Public Relations) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), said that realizing the need, the DMP is strengthening its cyber security unit in last decade. More officials are deployed, investigation teams deployed and the unit is putting their outmost afford to ensure cyber security including fighting misinformation.

However, the Bangladesh Police headquarter has no cyber security agency to coordinate all the units established under district or metropolitan level units.

Fact checking expert Qadaruddin Shishir said that in terms of cyber security, law enforcement agencies are doing some of the great tasks.

"However, they need to adopt different approaches."

After quota reform movement, the government should bring the issue into their account more effectively. And there is no alternative for the government to stop further loses from misinformation in future, observed experts.

Leave A Comment

You need login first to leave a comment

Trending Views