Rumor Scanner, a Bangladeshi fact-checking initiative, found through its investigations that X accounts operated from India and several Indian media outlets played a significant role in spreading propaganda against Bangladesh, reports UNB.
It said while many attacks occurred against those with Hindu religious identities due to their 'political affiliations or grievances', numerous incidents were falsely propagated as 'communal attacks'.
Between August 5th and 13th, Rumor Scanner's investigation unit identified 50 accounts on the microblogging site X (formerly Twitter) that had disseminated various images, videos and information related to the August events in Bangladesh, presenting them in a communal light.
Rumor Scanner found evidence of the propagation of communal misinformation and false information in at least one post from each of these accounts. These posts, disseminated between August 5th and 13th, were viewed over 15.4 million times.
Rumor Scanner's investigation unit has found that 72 per cent of the accounts spreading fake and misinformation are located in India.
Fighting against such a large volume of disinformation in such a short time in August was quite challenging for Rumor Scanner, it said.
During this time, false information on various sensitive issues in Bangladesh has also spread beyond social media and reached the Indian media.
It said several Indian media outlets claimed in August that bans on several banned extremist organisations had been lifted in Bangladesh which Rumor Scanner verified and found this claim to be false.
Over the next few months, the same accounts, as well as many others, continued to spread misinformation related to Bangladesh.
Rumor Scanner verified two such claims from Indian X accounts during Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of Hindus, which have been viewed at least 550,000 times.
Indian media, alongside social media, regularly spread false information about the interim government.
False claims such as Dr Yunus's physical illness or D Yunus fleeing to France after Trump's victory were widely propagated by the Indian media.
