DHAKA, Feb 16, 2026 (BSS)- Fact-checking organisation Rumor Scanner has identified as misinformation a claim circulated in the name of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) that 21 percent fake votes were cast in the recent national election.

Rumor Scanner said TIB denied the information circulated in various media that 21.4 percent fake votes were cast in the election. 

TIB at press conference today clarified their findings saying the 21.4 percent figure does not refer to the overall number of fake votes. 

Rather, TIB found that incidents of one or more fake votes were detected in 21.4 percent constituencies out of total 70 constituencies they monitored.

But a section of media misinterpreted this data as 21.4 percent fake votes were cast in the entire election, which is completely wrong, baseless and unfounded.

Rumor Scanner said it has identified hundreds of such election related misinformation are being circulating online.

In a recent report, the TIB said Tarique Rahman was the highest individual victim of rumours, being targeted by 133 pieces of misinformation.
As a political party, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) was the highest victim, facing 360 instances of rumours, Rumour Scanner said.