Fake photo card on nuclear power attributed to Home Minister: FactWatch

Fact-checking organisation FactWatch has identified a digitally manipulated and misleading photo card circulating on social media in the name of the Home Minister regarding nuclear power.

According to FactWatch, the fabricated card, which carries the RTV logo, falsely attributes a statement to Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed claiming that the “first principle of nuclear power was discovered by Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman.”

The organisation said its investigation found that the viral content was created by altering the headline of an original RTV photo card published on April 28. The authentic post covered remarks made by the Home Minister at an event in Agargaon marking the 31st founding anniversary of the Coast Guard, where he spoke on issues related to the redeployment of army personnel.

FactWatch confirmed that no reference to nuclear power or Ziaur Rahman was made by the minister at the event. It also noted inconsistencies in font and design compared to RTV’s original graphics.

The original RTV report carried a different headline relating to remarks on returning army personnel to barracks, and no such statement on nuclear energy was published on RTV’s official platforms or other mainstream media outlets.

FactWatch said the incident is part of a growing trend of misinformation circulating on social media platforms, particularly through edited news cards misrepresenting mainstream media content.

The organisation urged users to verify information before sharing, as part of its ongoing efforts to combat misinformation in Bangladesh’s digital space.