Bangladesh election moves onlineCEFR B2
10 Feb 2026
Adapted from Mohammad Tarek Hasan, Global Voices • CC BY 3.0
Photo by Kelly Sikkema, Unsplash
Bangladesh is preparing for its 13th National Parliamentary Election on February 12, 2026, and campaigning is shifting from public rallies to online platforms. Facebook, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube are now central to how political messages are produced and shared across the country.
A "state of digital" report for 2026 found 186 million active mobile connections (about 105 percent of the population), 82.8 million internet users (47 percent) and 64 million social media users. Political actors use follower networks, videos, live streams, campaign sites, songs and games to reach different constituencies, with young people a major online audience.
To limit digital misuse, the Election Commission issued regulations requiring candidates to submit official social media account details in advance and banning content that breaches the electoral code. The rules specifically prohibit the use of artificial intelligence to distort facts, manipulate images or videos, or otherwise mislead voters.
Fact-checkers and news outlets report rising misinformation and AI-manipulated content. The Daily Star identified nearly 97 AI-generated pieces on Facebook ahead of the election, while Rumor Scanner recorded 268 instances of misinformation in one month. Reports also describe bot-driven "haha" reactions across political circles and public accusations of large-scale misinformation campaigns. Platforms have taken steps, for example TikTok opened an "Election Information Center" with the Election Commission, but it remains unclear how effective rules and platform measures will be at reducing deceptive online political messaging.
Difficult words
- campaign — organized political activity to win supportcampaigning
- constituency — group of voters in an electoral areaconstituencies
- regulation — official rule made by an authorityregulations
- artificial intelligence — computer systems that perform human-like tasks
- misinformation — false or inaccurate information shared publicly
- bot-driven — controlled or amplified by automated online accounts
- live stream — real-time video broadcast over the internetlive streams
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- How might the move from public rallies to online campaigning affect young voters and their participation?
- What difficulties do you think regulators face when trying to ban the use of artificial intelligence in political messaging? Give reasons from the article.
- Do you think platform measures like an "Election Information Center" are likely to reduce misinformation? Why or why not? Provide examples or reasons.
Related articles
New cocoa fermenting box boosts farmers' incomes
In Kasawo, a locally made single cocoa fermenting box improves bean fermentation and helps farmers sell directly to exporters. Researchers report faster, better fermentation, higher prices and plans to scale up production across cocoa districts.
AI and Wearable Devices for Type 2 Diabetes
A meta-review from the University at Buffalo examines AI-enhanced wearable devices for Type 2 diabetes and prediabetes. The study finds predictive benefits and important limits, and calls for larger, more transparent studies before routine clinical use.
EU AI rules do not cover exports to West Asia and North Africa
Research by 7amleh finds that European AI rules and funding often leave the EU without binding safeguards. Money, technology and products reach governments and militaries across West Asia and North Africa with limited human rights accountability.
People with AMD Judge Car Arrival Times Like Others
A virtual reality study compared adults with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and adults with normal vision. Both groups judged vehicle arrival times similarly; vision and sound were used together, and a multimodal benefit did not appear.