Dhaka: BanglaFact, the fact-checking and media research team of the Press Institute Bangladesh (PIB), has detected fake comments circulating in the name of Shafiqul Alam, Chief Adviser’s (CA) Press Secretary, on a fake photocard bearing the logo and design of Kaler Kantho.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the photocard circulated in the name of Kaler Kantho is absolutely fake, and the press secretary did not make any comment in this connection. BanglaFact, responsible for preventing rumors and fake news, disinformation, and delivering accurate information to the public in Bangladesh, emphasized that such comments attributed to Shafiqul Alam are baseless.
The fake comments, including statements like ‘No matter what we say, elections cannot be thought of without Awami League,’ were circulated on social media, specifically Facebook, through a photocard bearing the logo and design of Kaler Kantho. BanglaFact confirmed that the press secretary did not make any such comment, and their investigation did not find any photocard or news containing the remark on Kaler Kantho’s verified Facebook page or website. Furthermore, the press secretary’s comment could not be found in any other media or reliable source.
BanglaFact’s investigation uncovered several inconsistencies in the photocard in question. Notably, there was a difference between the text font of Kaler Kantho’s official photocard and the text font of the fake photocard. The investigation revealed that the photocard published on Kaler Kantho’s verified Facebook page on September 13, titled ‘YouTube-based media must behave more responsibly: Press Secretary,’ had been edited with digital technology, altering the title to create the fake photocard.
The findings underscore the importance of verifying information and the potential dangers of digital manipulation, as demonstrated by the circulation of the fake photocard in the name of CA’s press secretary Shafiqul Alam.