Bangladesh’s political landscape has shifted dramatically following the fall of the Awami League led government in August 2024. The ousting of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina amid widespread protests was followed and preceded by a surge in disinformation, largely driven on social media platforms like X, Facebook, and YouTube. These platforms have become instruments for state and adversarial non-state actors to facilitate suspected foreign interference, political polarization, and social unrest.
This study investigates disinformation campaigns on X that exploit communal tensions in Bangladesh, while cross-posting on YouTube and Facebook to reach a wider audience. It uncovers the tactics, patterns, and key actors—especially suspected foreign networks—exploiting local narratives to destabilize and exacerbate longstanding societal tensions. Findings reveal coordinated efforts to weaponize social media through culturally charged narratives and historical revisionism, among other tactics, and resulting in incitement of fear and communal conflict.
