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In July 2025, a total of 310 pieces of misinformation were identified across various online platforms by Rumor Scanner Bangladesh, the country’s leading fact-checking organization. The majority of the misinformation, 59% (184 instances), were related to politics, according to a monthly analysis published on the organization’s website.

Other major categories included national issues (61), entertainment and literature (15), religion (13), international affairs (11), scams (7), sports (5), education (6), health (1), science and technology (2), and environment and climate (5).

Video content remained the dominant medium, with 171 misinformation cases, followed by 82 based on text and 57 based on images. Of the total false claims, 221 were classified as false, 38 as misleading, and 51 as distorted.

Facebook Leads as Primary Misinformation Platform

Facebook was the most prominent platform for spreading falsehoods, with 295 cases traced to it. Other platforms included Instagram (139), YouTube (75), X, formerly Twitter (44), TikTok (52), Threads (7), and Telegram (1). Rumor Scanner also flagged 16 cases of misinformation published by various local media outlets.

Communal Misinformation Resurges

After a temporary decline, communal misinformation saw a resurgence, with 10 cases identified in July. Notably, seven of these originated from Indian-identified accounts or pages, spreading falsehoods about communal issues in Bangladesh.

Government, Advisors, and Political Entities Targeted

Rumor Scanner observed that three misinformation cases in July were related to the interim government, 75% of which portrayed it negatively. Interim Chief Advisor Dr Muhammad Yunus was the subject of 11 misinformation cases, all negative in tone.

Other advisors such as Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan, Dr Salehuddin Ahmed, C R Abrar, Faruk-e-Azam, and Bidhan Ranjan Roy Poddar were also targeted, each in one misinformation case — all negatively portrayed.

BNP, Jamaat, and NCP Most Frequently Targeted

Among active political groups, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), its affiliated bodies, and leaders were most frequently targeted, appearing in 38 misinformation cases. Of these, 21 were directly about BNP, with nearly 90% carrying negative sentiment.

BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman was the subject of three cases, and Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, the party’s student wing, was linked to six, with 83% of those content being negative.

The Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and its affiliates were involved in 35 misinformation cases, 87% of which presented negative portrayals. The Islami Chhatra Shibir, Jamaat’s student wing, was targeted in 10 cases, all negative.

The National Citizens’ Party (NCP) was linked to 34 misinformation incidents, all portraying the party and its leadership negatively. Notable figures such as Nahid Islam, Hasnat Abdullah, Sarjis Alam, Tasnim Zara, and Nusrat Tabassum were all individually targeted in multiple false claims.

Awami League and Affiliates See Mostly Positive Misinformation

Although the Awami League is currently banned, it was still the subject of 47 misinformation cases. Interestingly, 87% of those cases promoted positive sentiment. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was linked to 17 cases, 94% of which were favorable. The Bangladesh Chhatra League, the party’s student wing, was involved in 10 cases, with 60% being positive.

Military and Security Forces Not Spared

State security forces also faced a surge in false narratives. The Bangladesh Army and its Chief Gen. Waker-Uz-Zaman were featured in 26 cases, the highest since August last year. The Bangladesh Police was targeted in 13 cases, the Air Force in 11, the Navy in one, and the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in three.

Rise in AI-Generated Misinformation

Rumor Scanner detected a sharp rise in AI-generated fake content, with 68 such cases in July — the highest monthly count so far this year. Two deepfake videos were also identified during this period.

Major Events That Fueled Misinformation

Five major events in July triggered high volumes of misinformation:

• The death of scrap dealer Sohag in Mitford on July 9 (19 false claims)
• NCP’s procession in Gopalganj on July 16 (38 false claims)
• Jamaat’s rally in Dhaka on July 19 (4 false claims)
• Hartal by Awami League-affiliated bodies on July 20 (12 false claims)
• Air Force plane crash in Uttara on July 21, which saw the highest individual case count (39)

Decrease in Fake Media Branding

Although the use of fake media logos, headlines, and photocard mimicry was previously common, such tactics decreased in July. Nevertheless, 21 misinformation cases were found to be falsely attributed to 15 national and international media outlets.