Photo : BSS

DHAKA, May 2, 2026 (BSS) - Prime Minister's Adviser on Policy and Strategy Dr Zahed Ur Rahman today said spreading misinformation and rumours is a punishable offence, although many people often fail to realise its gravity.

"The spread of fake news cannot be curbed without legal measures. Criticism and abuse are separate issues; they are not fake news. Fake news should be treated as a crime and the government must send a clear message in this regard," he said.

Dr Zahed was addressing a seminar titled "Rumours and Misinformation in Media: Who is the Victim? Who is the Predator?" held at the auditorium of the Press Institute Bangladesh (PIB) in the capital.

PIB Director General Faruk Wasif presided over the programme.

UNESCO Head of Office and Representative to Bangladesh Dr Susan Vize stressed maintaining a balance between media freedom and necessary regulation. She called for building effective fact-checking mechanisms, enhancing journalists' skills, strengthening media capacity, and raising awareness about artificial intelligence and algorithms.

While presenting the keynote paper, Bangladesh Computer Council's language technology specialist Mohammad Mamun Or Rashid highlighted the crucial role of fact-checking organisations and professional fact-checkers in combating fake news.

Professor AA Mamun of the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism at Rajshahi University said disinformation is not only driven by commercial interests but also used as a powerful political tool.

"At times, political actors become victims, while in other cases, they turn others into victims," he added.

Editor of The Dissent and fact-checking expert Qadaruddin Shishir
noted that many media outlets fail to show accountability in correcting or retracting false information. He asserted that there is no scope for supporting fake news.

PIB DG Faruk Wasif said social media algorithms are shaping users' preferences, creating a form of "digital servitude." He warned that people increasingly accept information aligning with their views without verification, leading to a growing crisis of trust in the media. He emphasised rebuilding media structures on a knowledge-based foundation to address the challenge.