As Bangladesh prepares for its first national election following the collapse of the Hasina regime, the country’s information ecosystem is under unprecedented strain. AI-generated misinformation and disinformation are flooding digital platforms, raising serious concerns about the integrity of democratic decision-making.
In early November, Dhaka was gripped by fear as public buses were set ablaze and crude explosives were discovered in schools. Amid the chaos, a video circulated widely on social media, appearing to show a Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) officer accusing BNP and Shibir of planting bombs to discredit the Awami League. The clip looked authentic — complete with a media outlet’s logo and a convincing speaker — but was later exposed as synthetic. Its purpose was clear: to manipulate public opinion and bolster support for the Awami League’s lockdown programme.
Democracy in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
The interim government now faces the challenge of holding elections in a landscape where AI-generated campaigns are increasingly common. Tools like Google’s Nano Banana AI and OpenAI’s Sora can produce hyper-realistic videos that blur the line between truth and fabrication. Media literacy and legal safeguards have not kept pace, leaving even professionals struggling to distinguish real content from fake.
Sumon Rahman, head of Media Studies and Journalism at ULAB, warned that such manipulation could distort voter choice. “AI in elections is rarely used for noble purposes. It is almost always deployed to manipulate, fabricate, or mislead,” he told The Business Standard. Alarmingly, genuine information is now being dismissed as “AI-generated,” turning truth itself into a political weapon.
Escalating Misinformation Campaigns
Fact-checking organisations report a sharp rise in false claims. Between July and September, 21 election-related fabrications were debunked. But from October to mid-November, that number surged to 57 — nearly triple the previous quarter.
Qadruddin Shishir, editor of The Dissent and former AFP fact-checker, explained that misinformation comes both from domestic actors competing in the election and external sources amplifying narratives. He noted that factions linked to the Awami League, along with Indian social media networks, have played a role in spreading misleading content. When internal and external campaigns overlap, their impact becomes far more dangerous.
Regulatory Gaps and Vulnerabilities
Unlike the European Union, which requires clear labelling of AI-generated political content, Bangladesh has no such legal framework. Fact-checking groups like DismissLab and AFP continue to debunk falsehoods, but their reach is limited. Government initiatives face credibility issues, while social media platforms enforce moderation inconsistently.
Shishir stressed the need for a balanced approach: “It must be a coordinated effort involving government, journalists, technologists, and human rights advocates. Overreliance on state control risks censorship, while unchecked platforms allow misinformation to thrive.”
Political PR Emerges as a New Frontline
In this volatile environment, political parties are turning to professional crisis management. Bangladesh has recently seen the rise of GenBridge, the country’s first political PR agency. GenBridge trains politicians in cybersecurity and equips them with strategies to counter deepfake content and AI-driven misinformation.
As the election nears, the central question is no longer whether AI will shape political narratives, but whether Bangladesh can safeguard its democratic processes before the boundary between truth and fabrication disappears entirely.
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