AI and fake media in Bangladesh’s electionCEFR A2
1 Apr 2026
Adapted from Zulker Naeen, Global Voices • CC BY 3.0
Photo by Refat Ul Islam, Unsplash
On February 12 Bangladesh held a national election after a large student uprising the year before. In the months before the vote, artificial intelligence was widely used online to shape political stories and public beliefs.
In mid-December a photograph circulated that looked real but was false. The picture appeared to link a student union leader with a man tied to a nearby shooting. A fact-check group confirmed the image was generated by AI.
A study during the campaign found many cases of AI manipulation. Fake photos, edited images that copied news outlets, deepfakes and made-up quotes reached many people and targeted several parties and leaders.
Difficult words
- uprising — a time when many people protest or fight
- circulate — to spread or pass something to many peoplecirculated
- artificial intelligence — computer systems that can think or learn
- fact-check — a check of information to see if true
- manipulation — the act of changing something to influence people
- deepfake — a fake video or audio made with AIdeepfakes
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- How could false images affect people’s voting or beliefs in an election?
- Have you ever seen a photo online that looked real but was false? What did you do?
- Why do you think people use AI to make fake photos or quotes during campaigns?
