Sharp rise in law and order misinformation; politics still dominates

Concerns over law and order grew steadily in Bangladesh during the first quarter of 2025, as incidents of murder, rape, robbery, and extortion dominated news headlines. In early February, the interim government launched a special operation, “Operation Devil Hunt,” in response to the public unease. As fears over safety and security mounted, misinformation related to law and order issues also rose sharply.

In the final quarter of 2024, law and order-related misinformation accounted for about 1% of all unique fact-checked items. By the first quarter of 2025, that share had risen to nearly 9%. In absolute numbers, the count rose sevenfold, from 11 to 77 unique fact-checks, according to an analysis by Dismislab, based on a review of reports published between January and March 2025 by eight fact-checking organizations that focus on Bangladesh.

Politics remained the dominant theme of fact-checks in Bangladesh. Nearly half of the debunked claims during the first three months of 2025—45%—involved political topics. Religious misinformation followed, accounting for 13% of the unique claims, slightly lower than the previous quarter.

Between January and March, the eight fact-checking organizations published 1,326 fact-check reports. To avoid duplication, Dismislab counted only one report per topic where multiple fact-checks addressed the same claim. Based on this method, 867 unique claims were identified, reflecting a slight increase from the 816 recorded in the previous quarter.

Surge in crime-related misinformation

Misinformation and disinformation mirror real-world events, often as a byproduct and often as an amplifier. False narratives frequently build on developments already unfolding in society, including political upheavals and moments of crisis. From Brexit to national elections to the COVID-19 pandemic, periods of uncertainty have consistently seen a surge in misinformation, reinforcing public anxiety. Research suggests that misinformation tends to spread more widely when it resonates with personal identity, conforms to prevailing social norms, offers novel information, or provokes strong emotional reactions.

The same pattern has been evident around crime in Bangladesh. Over the past quarter, law and order concerns have drawn significant attention, with media reports documenting rising incidents of robbery, sexual violence, and other crimes. As public anxiety grew, law and order-related misinformation also rose sharply, accounting for 9% of all fact-checked misinformation—up from just 1 to 2% in the previous three quarters.

Much of the circulated misinformation centered on murder, rape, mugging, and robbery (about 70%). In several instances, incidents from other countries, particularly India, were misrepresented as having occurred in Bangladesh. A video posted on a YouTube channel in February, showing a person jumping from a hotel in Indonesia, was falsely circulated as footage of a robbery attempt in Bangladesh. Videos of robberies at petrol stations or jewelry shops in India were presented as recent crimes in Bangladesh. Older or unrelated events (1, 2)  from Bangladesh were also recycled and framed as new incidents of robbery.

Videos originating from India were used to spread false claims about sexual violence and murder, with several recordings incorrectly described as scenes from Bangladesh. At least four videos (1, 2, 3, 4)  circulating online falsely claimed to show the recovery of women’s bodies after rape or abuse in Bangladesh but were traced back to India. Older crime scene videos from Bangladesh (1, 2, 3) were similarly misrepresented as evidence of recent rape or murder incidents. In February, a misleading claim that 100 women had been raped within 73 hours circulated widely on social media, using an edited photo card from a news outlet as supposed proof.

Crime-related misinformation carries broader consequences beyond immediate fear. Research has shown that distorted perceptions of crime can influence public attitudes, heighten social tensions, and shape policy decisions. The Legal Defense Fund warns that bad-faith actors often manipulate crime statistics to sensationalize public safety debates and justify punitive policies, distracting attention from the deeper structural drivers of violence. “By misidentifying the catalysts behind crime patterns, we lose our ability to diagnose the proper ailment and administer the correct medicine,” the organization notes. These risks may be even more pronounced among younger generations. Studies suggest that members of Gen Z tend to perceive greater threats in their surroundings than previous generations, making them particularly vulnerable to fear-driven narratives about crime. 

Political misinformation: types and narratives

Politics remained the dominant theme of misinformation in Bangladesh during the first quarter of 2025. Between January and March, 45% of all fact-checked misinformation involved political claims, amid debates over reforms and elections.

Even after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in August 2024, her party, the Awami League (AL), remained at the center of Bangladesh’s disinformation landscape—both as a spreader and a target. The party and its leaders accounted for the largest share of political misinformation (34.8%), followed by the interim government (21.8%). Around 68% of the false claims about the Awami League portrayed the party or its leaders in a favorable light. In contrast, most misinformation related to the interim government, BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and the student movement coordinators carried a negative tone.

Much of the fact-checked misinformation around the AL involved old or unrelated protest footage, falsely circulated as evidence of recent rallies. Following the party’s nationwide strike call on January 18, several outdated videos were shared online, falsely suggesting growing support for the party. Other narratives claimed that Sheikh Hasina had met international delegations from the United Nations and the European Union in New Delhi, India, where she had taken shelter after her ouster, or that she would meet world leaders in Allahabad, an Indian city in Uttar Pradesh state. More narratives claimed she appeared publicly, or issued statements from abroad, all of which were later debunked.

Negative misinformation about the Awami League included fabricated claims that Sheikh Hasina was arrested by Interpol and that party leaders Obaidul Quader and Nizam Hazari were detained in India.

The interim government and its advisors were similarly targeted, with false claims that multiple advisors had resigned  (1, 2, 3) or that international actors like the United States and United Nations demanded the government’s removal. Fake statements attributed to key advisors circulated widely, including a fabricated quote about delaying elections and another about authorizing the use of deadly force against criminals.

BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami faced overwhelmingly negative misinformation, accounting for 87% and 95% of claims about each group, respectively. False narratives accused party activists of crimes ranging from robbery to assault (1, 2, 3, 4, 5), often using unrelated videos from India as fabricated evidence. In one case, a BNP leader was falsely accused of insulting the Prophet Muhammad. Edited videos and fake statements aimed at tarnishing party figures also circulated. A smaller share of misinformation portrayed the BNP positively, including false claims that its leaders had attended Donald Trump’s inauguration or that Lionel Messi would campaign for the party.

The student movement coordinators faced some of the harshest misinformation campaigns. Amid growing public concerns about corruption allegations and expensive rallies organized in their constituencies, about 97% of the misinformation targeting them carried a negative tone, including false claims of arrests (1, 2, 3), corruption (1, 2), passport seizures, and public humiliation. At least three female student leaders were targeted with doctored images (1, 2, 3) falsely depicting them in a nude or sexually explicit state.

The “Trump Effect” 

Donald Trump has emerged as a prominent figure in Bangladesh’s political disinformation landscape since winning the U.S. presidential election in November 2024. In the first three months of 2025, several misinformation campaigns invoked his name and image, often portraying him as supporting or opposing Bangladeshi political figures.

After Trump’s inauguration on January 20, false claims circulated suggesting that Sheikh Hasina or BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman had attended the ceremony. Other narratives alleged that Trump supported Sheikh Hasina and opposed Dr. Muhammad Yunus and the interim government. Some claims falsely suggested that Trump had sent a letter to Hasina shortly after taking office, or that he planned to reinstate her to power within a week. An edited image purporting to show Trump holding a photograph of Hasina also circulated widely.

Misinformation around Trump continued through March. One false claim stated that Trump would visit India on March 13, 2025, to meet with Hasina. Other narratives portrayed Trump as criticizing Dr. Yunus, labeling him an autocrat, or imposing sanctions against him. A fabricated statement attributed to Trump also claimed that the European Union was taking steps to revoke Dr. Yunus’s Nobel Prize.

Religious misinformation

The volume of religion-related misinformation has slightly decreased. In the last quarter of 2024, it accounted for 18% of all verified false claims, dropping to 13% in the first quarter of 2025. Although the volume fell, the narratives remained largely unchanged—relying on old or edited photos and videos, misrepresented contexts, and content from India falsely linked to Bangladesh.

Similar to the false claims of minority persecution that circulated after August 5, 2024, the first quarter of 2025 saw a continuation of these patterns. In one case, a Muslim woman allegedly raped in Chakaria, Cox’s Bazar, was falsely identified as Hindu. An arson attack on Muslim homes in Bagerhat was misrepresented as an assault on Hindu families. A politically motivated assault was reframed as a communal attack. An attack on a shrine was falsely portrayed as Muslim crowds targeting a Hindu wedding.

Misinformation also spread in Bangladesh concerning events in India, particularly around claims of anti-Muslim violence. One widely circulated video, showing the demolition of a structure in a park in Indonesia, was falsely described as a mosque demolition in India. Another video from Gujarat, depicting the demolition of illegal structures, was shared with the false claim that Muslim homes were being destroyed for selling beef.

Some new religious misinformation narratives also emerged this quarter, including that during wildfires in Los Angeles, a Muslim-owned house or a mosque remained untouched while everything else burned. An old video was recirculated, falsely claiming that the call to prayer (Aazan) had been used to extinguish fires in California.

In March, Ramadan-related misinformation appeared online. Advice about special acts of worship during the final days of Ramadan was falsely attributed to the Imam of the Kaaba. In another case, a video showing the demolition of a political party office linked to South Indian actor and politician Thalapathy Vijay was misrepresented as punishment for his participation in an iftar gathering.

Misinformation in mainstream media on the rise

The volume of misinformation published by mainstream media surged in early 2025. In the fourth quarter of 2024, at least 27 news reports were later identified as misinformation. In the first three months of this year, that number doubled to 54. Most of the media-published misinformation, about 24%, involved political topics.

Bangladeshi outlets largely published false claims attributed to interim government advisors and political figures, including reports that Chief Advisor Dr. Muhammad Yunus had announced an election date, though no date was ever set. Posts from fake Facebook accounts impersonating public figures, such as journalist Khaled Muhiuddin, were also treated as legitimate sources in news coverage.

In the final quarter of 2024, Indian media outlets published six false reports about Bangladesh. In comparison, at least 13 sites, including India Today, Times Now, Economic Times, Republic Bangla, and India Herald, published 12 false reports in this quarter that have since been fact-checked. 

Misinformation in Indian media outlets centered on reports of a military coup in Dhaka, the deployment of UN peacekeeping forces, and sightings of Pakistani troops on Bangladeshi streets. A training photo of the Ansar forces, an auxiliary paramilitary group, was misrepresented as evidence of militant activity.

Misinformation spreads mostly through videos

As in previous quarters, most misinformation circulated through videos. In the first quarter of 2025, 42% of false claims spread via video, followed by images (25%) and graphic cards (19%). 

Edited photo cards mimicking mainstream media outlets remained a preferred tool. At least 125 cases involved altered news outlet graphics, the majority (71%) related to political claims. The use of authentic media logos made the false content appear credible, and in some instances, authentic photo cards were falsely labeled as fake. 

Methodology