Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan informed the National Parliament that 16 websites, more than 300 Facebook accounts, and 100 X accounts have been identified for spreading propaganda and misinformation under the guise of news outlets. He disclosed this on Monday during the budget session in response to a written question from MP Md. Mostafizur Rahman Babul of Jamalpur-3.

The minister said that to combat rumors and misinformation, training has been provided on fact-checking, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in journalism, and information verification. The Press Institute Bangladesh (PIB) has also published a research book titled “Shikari Sangbadikata.” Under the PIB’s “BanglaFact” initiative, 783 fact-checks, analyses, and investigative reports have been published, including 229 since the current government took office.

Between October 2024 and June, PIB conducted 123 training sessions across 64 districts, training 5,977 journalists. A “Fact-Check Manual” will soon be published to assist media professionals, while BanglaFact continues to verify three to five claims daily.