Bangladesh’s 13th National Parliamentary Election on February 12 faced challenges like generative AI misuse, narrative manipulation, and social media interference, as per a report by The Daily Star. The report highlighted the use of generative AI to create explicit images targeting female candidates and fabricate minority voices supporting specific parties to influence voting decisions. It also mentioned the manipulation of narratives as a key aspect of the election process.
The study, conducted by Activate Rights, analyzed data from December 11, 2025, to February 16, 2026, revealing a systematic narrative manipulation during the election. Female candidates, constituting only four percent of the contestants, were subjected to disproportionate levels of online abuse, indicating a concerning trend.
Moreover, the report pointed out that hardline Islamist groups on social media attempted to undermine democratic participation by portraying democracy as incompatible with Islam, leading to a social media boycott against the Awami League. This boycott escalated into obstructing voters from reaching polling booths, impacting the election process significantly.
The report also highlighted the dissemination of selectively edited video clips on social media, aiming to misrepresent political figures and incite accusations of blasphemy or anti-Islamic sentiments. Such tactics influenced public opinion and discourse during the election period, raising concerns about the integrity of the electoral process.
Bangladesh faces the risk of lagging behind peer nations and competing economies if radical reforms in tariffs and trade facilitation are not implemented within the next five years, according to a recent report. The urgency for trade facilitation has heightened with Bangladesh’s upcoming graduation from the UN’s Least Developed Country (LDC) category, emphasizing the need for preferential market access through strategic agreements with key partners.
