Misinformation and AI-Generated Content Fuel Unrest Amid HSC Student Protests
HSC examinees across Bangladesh are facing a surge of misinformation as protests regarding examination schedules and educational grievances intensify. The demonstrations, sparked by discontent over exam timing, curriculum issues, and inflammatory remarks attributed to Education Minister A.N.M. Ehsanul Haque Milon, have been overshadowed by a proliferation of AI-generated images, doctored news cards, and debunked social media claims.
The unrest, which saw students gather near the national parliament to demand the minister’s resignation, has been marred by conflicting narratives. While students faced police action during these protests, social media platforms have been flooded with unverified reports of mass casualties and violent assaults. Investigations reveal that many of these claims are baseless, with fabricated images—including AI-generated depictions of "slain students"—being circulated to incite panic and outrage.
Digital forensics indicate a coordinated effort to manipulate public perception through the misuse of visual media. In one instance, a video of a heated exchange between members of the student political organization Chhatra Dal was repurposed to falsely suggest a student was being attacked by activists. Furthermore, footage of a 2024 protest demanding "auto-passes" has been recycled to misrepresent the current movement, while images from unrelated conflicts, such as a 2025 clash at Chittagong University, have been falsely linked to the ongoing student demonstrations.
The campaign of disinformation has extended to the falsification of news media credentials. Multiple fake photo cards, styled to mimic the branding of leading newspaper Prothom Alo, have surfaced online. These fabricated reports included baseless claims of police gunfire in Faridpur and fictitious statements attributed to political leaders. Prothom Alo has since issued a formal warning, clarifying that it did not publish the content in question and that its graphic templates were illegally duplicated.
The Education Minister has expressed regret over his previous comments and assured the public that the government is considering re-examinations for specific subjects, such as Physics, Accounting, and Logic. Despite these efforts to address academic concerns, the digital space remains volatile. Reliable news outlets have confirmed that there is no evidence to support claims of student deaths or violent abductions at sites like Science Lab, further underscoring the necessity for caution regarding unverified reports circulating online.
