Fake alliances, seat-sharing, and surveys shape election disinformation narratives
The nature of election-related misinformation is changing while its volume continues to rise, as the February 12 elections draw closer. In recent months, most misinformation around elections involved fake attributions, false claims about nominations, and false content either praising or vilifying different political parties. Circulating fabricated survey results over popularity was also common and recurring. Although such content still floods social media, the focus now is more on campaign activities, nomination papers, electoral alliances, and seat-sharing arrangements. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in this disinformation campaign is also becoming ever more visible.
Some of these items, falsely citing top government figures, even seek to cast doubt about whether the election will take place as declared, further fueling the already existing uncertainty among the public. For example, one claim attributed to Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus states: “There will be no election in Bangladesh on February 12,” and that he wants to remain in power for five years. Another claimed that Election Commissioner Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah, a retired brigadier general, announced the suspension of the election. Fact-check reports found both claims to be false.
In the one-month period between December 16, 2025, and January 15, 2026, the number of distinct election-related misinformation items rose to 89, up from 63 recorded in the corresponding previous month, an increase of more than 41 percent. Even during this four week period, election‑related fact‑checks rose sharply—from just 10 in the first week to 31 in the final week, marking a more than threefold increase in detected misinformation, according to an analysis of the fact-check reports published by nine fact-checking organizations during the period.
Misinformation around alliance
Misinformation centered on electoral alliances most frequently involved the 10-party electoral alliance led by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. In some instances, false claims circulated asserting that Jamaat Ameer Shafiqur Rahman said that Mamunul Haque, a leader of the alliance partner Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis and joint secretary general of Qawmi madrasa-based organization Hefazat-e-Islam, is the only individual qualified to become president or prime minister. False claims were also circulated that Mamunul had been relieved of all positions within Hefazat to facilitate his joining the alliance.
Since November, there have been public discussions about a possible electoral alliance between Jamaat-e-Islami and eight other parties. The number of parties later rose to 11 when three more parties, including the National Citizen Party (NCP), joined the bloc. However, after Islami Andolon Bangladesh withdrew at the final stage, the alliance was reduced to 10 parties. For context, after the Bangladesh Labour Party joined the Jamaat-e-Islami–led electoral alliance, the 10-party front expanded back into an 11-party alliance.
Centring on this development, false claims circulated that NCP leader Hasnat Abdullah said he would resign if the party formed an alliance with Jamaat. Other claims falsely quoted NCP’s Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain, stating that he would not take “the stigma of collaborators” by forging an alliance with Jamaat. Fact-checkers found neither of the two made such comments.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led alliance, which includes Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Bangladesh, was also targeted. Fabricated claims, using photocards of the daily Amar Desh, were circulated on social media stating that the BNP cancelled the seat-sharing agreement with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam. The fact is, BNP made no such decision, Amar Desh published no such photocards, and Jamiat Ulema is running in four seats under the BNP-led alliance. Other misinformation related to seat-sharing includes claims that Jamaat Ameer sought 30 to 35 seats from BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman to take part in the election as a joint force.
Misinformation around candidates, nomination
Misinformation also circulated around candidates and prospective candidates during this one-month period. For instance, after the killing of Sharif Osman Bin Hadi, a prospective candidate for the Dhaka-8 constituency, social media posts claimed that Fatima Tasnim Zuma, the Liberation War and Democratic Movement affairs secretary of the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU), intended to run from there. The same claim was made about Shadik Kayem, DUCSU’s vice-president.
BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman and Jamaat Ameer Shafiqur Rahman were also targeted with false claims, saying that the Election Commission has cancelled the nominations of both the leaders (1, 2) along with 13 more BNP aspirants. Another claim was directed at NCP leader Sarwar Tushar, alleging that although he listed his profession as “writer” in his election affidavit, he had no published books.
Elsewhere, claims circulated that Jamaat-e-Islami nominated Islamic scholar Abrarul Haque Asif from the Rajshahi-3 constituency to attract young voters. Meanwhile, an old video resurfaced, falsely suggesting that the Awami League planned to field candidates in all 300 constituencies.
Fake election campaigns, promises
Old videos from other countries were also circulated with unfounded claims, presenting them as election campaign footage from Bangladesh. For example, an old video was circulated, falsely claiming that the Awami League would be able to participate in the election and that former Awami League lawmaker Mashrafe Bin Mortaza began campaigning. Verification shows the original video is from 2023. In another case, a video from India was shared with the claim that a candidate was distributing blankets to a farmer working in a paddy field during a cold wave.
Many of the campaign-related misinformation contents are AI-generated. For instance, a video circulated on Facebook appeared to show Zubaida Rahman, the wife of Tarique Rahman. In the video, she is seen seeking votes for BNP while offering financial assistance on behalf of her daughter, Zaima Rahman. Fact-check reports found that the video was made using AI tools. In another AI video, a supposed officer of the Bangladesh army is seen seeking votes for Jamaat.
Fake attributions, fake surveys
The spread of fabricated attributions involving leaders and activists of political parties, as well as interim government advisers, persisted during this one-month period. Between December 16, 2025, and January 15, 2026, at least 43 claims containing such false statements circulated online. One fake photocard attributed to Law Adviser Asif Nazrul claimed that Tarique Rahman would not be eligible to contest the election because he returned to the country on a travel pass.
In another instance, a counterfeit photocard bearing the name of the news outlet BanglaVision claimed that the BNP demanded the postponement of the national election by one year following the death of Khaleda Zia. A separate false claim attributed to Tarique Rahman alleged that BNP would not participate in the upcoming election without the participation of the Awami League party, whose activities are currently banned.
Jamaat leaders and activists were also subjected to false attribution. Some claims alleged that the party’s Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar said that they would introduce Pakistani laws and make travel to and from Pakistan free if voted to power. In other cases, Jamaat Ameer Shafiqur Rahman was falsely cited as saying that the party would abolish the celebration of the Victory Day on December 16 if it came to power.
NCP Spokesperson Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan was also subjected to false attribution. One claim suggested that he threatened to boycott the election unless his party’s victory was guaranteed.
Fake survey claims were also common. Several posts claimed that Sheikh Hasina had the highest chance of becoming prime minister in the upcoming election. Another, citing non-existent research by Amar Desh, asserted that “99 percent of people believe Jamaat Ameer Shafiqur Rahman, who lost his deposit in the last two elections, will become prime minister this time.”
Methodology
To analyze election-related misinformation trends and narratives, reports published on the websites of nine organizations that produce fact-checks on issues related to Bangladesh were taken into account. These sites are Rumor Scanner, BoomBD, NewsChecker, Fact Crescendo, Fact Watch, AFP Bangladesh, Ajker Patrika, Dismislab, and The Dissent. Although a total of 103 fact-check reports were published on these sites in the one-month period of data collection, multiple outlets often published reports on the same false claim. When multiple websites published fact-check reports on the same piece of misinformation, only one report was counted as unique. Using this method, 89 fact-check reports were identified and analyzed.
This report was produced with the financial support of the European Union within the framework of the AHEAD Bangladesh project. Its contents are the sole responsibility of Digitally Right and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.
