Dhaka: Bangladesh has initiated high-level discussions with Meta, formerly known as Facebook, to combat misinformation and disinformation during the upcoming general elections and referendum scheduled for February 12. Chief Adviser’s Special Envoy on International Affairs, Lutfey Siddiqi, engaged with Meta representatives on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, to address these pressing concerns.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the meeting focused on strategies Meta can employ to curb misinformation leading up to the elections. Lutfey Siddiqi emphasized the importance of proactive measures and discussed with Meta the possibility of taking immediate actions, such as shutting down specific pages if they are deemed to incite unrest during the election period. He conveyed this information during a briefing at the Foreign Service Academy, with Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam present.
Siddiqi highlighted that a high-level protocol is being developed in collaboration with Meta, which has already started coordinating efforts with the Election Commission. The discussions are set to continue in an upcoming meeting with Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, the Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser for the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology.
Meta’s commitment to addressing election-time misinformation is acknowledged at the highest levels of the company, with its senior leadership actively engaging in real-time disinformation control and election-related tools. Workshops on these tools are either completed or underway, ensuring effective preparedness for the upcoming electoral process.
In addition to discussions with Meta, Siddiqi also engaged with PayPal, exploring the potential for the company’s involvement in Bangladesh. While PayPal has shown interest in entering the Bangladeshi market, Siddiqi clarified that this is a lengthy process and should not be misconstrued as an immediate market entry. PayPal officials have noted that improvements in governance, central bank leadership, and banking sector reforms have positively impacted Bangladesh’s risk profile.