Bangladesh Warns of Disinformation Surge Ahead of February Elections

Bangladesh’s Nobel Laureate Warns of Disinformation Threatening Upcoming Elections

Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus has raised alarm over a surge in disinformation that could potentially undermine next month’s critical national elections, the first to be held since a popular uprising toppled the previous government in 2024.

The 85-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate, who heads the country’s caretaker administration, revealed he has sought United Nations assistance to combat what he described as a wave of misinformation targeting the February 12 polls. During a telephone conversation with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, Yunus expressed his concerns about the proliferation of false narratives.

“There has been a flood of misinformation surrounding the elections,” Yunus told Türk, according to a statement from his office. “They have flooded social media with fake news, rumors and speculation. We are concerned about the impact this may have on the elections.”

The disinformation campaign appears to be coming from multiple sources, with Yunus citing both foreign media outlets and local actors as contributors to the problem. The spread of false information poses a significant threat to electoral integrity in Bangladesh, a country still finding its footing after months of political turmoil.

Bangladesh has experienced considerable political instability since August 2024, when a student-led uprising forced then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from power, ending her 15-year rule that critics increasingly characterized as autocratic. Yunus, who had been living in exile, returned to the country at the request of protesters to lead an interim government as chief adviser.

Türk reportedly assured Yunus that the United Nations would provide support in addressing the disinformation challenge. The stakes are high for this election, which the European Union has characterized as the “biggest democratic process of 2026” in the Muslim-majority nation of approximately 170 million people.

The upcoming vote represents a critical juncture for Bangladesh, which has struggled with democratic governance throughout its history. Since gaining independence from Pakistan in 1971, the South Asian nation has experienced multiple military coups and periods of authoritarian rule. The Hasina government, while initially praised for economic development, faced mounting criticism for human rights abuses and democratic backsliding in its later years.

Yunus acknowledged that his administration inherited a “completely broken” political system. To address these fundamental issues, the interim government is pushing through a reform charter designed to prevent a return to authoritarian rule. A referendum on these proposed reforms, which aim to strengthen checks and balances among the executive, judiciary, and legislature, will be held concurrently with the election on February 12.

The Nobel laureate, known globally for pioneering microcredit through his Grameen Bank, has maintained that he has no intention of remaining in power long-term. He has consistently stated that he expects to step down after the polls once a democratically elected government is in place.

The disinformation challenge comes as Bangladesh faces multiple crises, including economic difficulties exacerbated by the political upheaval, ongoing concerns about extremism, and the continued presence of nearly one million Rohingya refugees from neighboring Myanmar.

Election observers note that managing the flow of information while respecting freedom of expression will be a delicate balancing act for authorities. The interim government’s approach to this challenge will likely be closely watched by international partners and human rights organizations as a test of its commitment to democratic principles.

As the election date approaches, political parties are ramping up their campaigns, with many new faces entering the political arena following the dramatic shift in power last year. For many Bangladeshis, the upcoming vote represents a chance to reset the country’s political trajectory and establish more robust democratic institutions.