Unverified reports circulate among pro-AL factions, propagating baseless accounts of the conflicts in Gopalganj: Communications Directorate of the Media
In the politically sensitive Gopalganj district of Bangladesh, violent clashes erupted on July 16, 2025, during a rally organised by a newly formed student-led political party, the National Citizen Party (NCP). This party was commemorating the anniversary of the uprising that led to the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, a prominent figure of the Awami League, eleven months prior.
The confrontation involved supporters of the Awami League and the security forces, resulting in at least four fatalities and numerous injuries. The chaos escalated as some pro-Awami League activists assaulted police with sticks and set vehicles on fire, targeting a convoy of NCP leaders in the area.
The ruling interim government, led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, condemned the violence and placed blame on Hasina's political faction and the student organization for the disturbances. Yunus emphasized the importance of allowing peaceful assemblies, stating that preventing such gatherings infringes on fundamental rights.
However, the Awami League accused the interim administration of misusing state security forces to suppress their supporters, calling on the international community to recognise this.
Amidst the political turmoil, reports from the ground and verified sources tell a different story from the narratives spread by pro-Awami League figures. Misleading social media posts, such as those by key figures like S.M. Jakir Hossain, a former Chhatra League leader, and Ashraful Alam Khokan, a former press aide to Hasina, have been circulating. These posts include shared images of a stick-wielding child, which was not taken in Gopalganj on July 16, but was actually a screenshot from a video recorded in the Safipur area of Gazipur.
Additionally, Jakir Hossain and Khokan posted images showing severely injured individuals being treated in a hospital, falsely claiming the injuries were sustained during the clashes in Gopalganj. The origin of this image is not specified in the article, while another image shared by the duo showed a wounded teenager being carried by locals amid fires and protests, claimed to be from the day's unrest in Gopalganj, but was confirmed to be from an earlier incident on August 10, 2024.
Moreover, pro-AL accounts spread baseless claims that the Bangladesh Army had opened fire indiscriminately on civilians. In another post, Jakir Hossain and Khokan shared a photo of a Detective Branch officer firing live rounds toward demonstrators, falsely suggesting it depicted today's law enforcement response in Gopalganj. The image was actually from a BNP rally in Narayanganj on December 8, 2022.
A strict curfew was imposed in Gopalganj from 8 pm on July 16 to 6 pm the following day, as the situation remained volatile. The Chief Adviser's Press Wing made a statement that key pro-Awami League figures circulated false narratives by posting multiple old and unrelated images. The statement was shared on the CA Press Wing Facts' verified Facebook page.
The unrest in Gopalganj comes amid ongoing political turmoil since Hasina was ousted and has historically been dominated by the Awami League and the rival Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). The National Citizen Party is trying to establish itself as a new political force in Bangladesh, aiming to challenge the traditional political landscape.
- Misleading information about the clashes in Gopalganj, including shared images and posts, has been circulating on social media, with key figures such as S.M. Jakir Hossain and Ashraful Alam Khokan sharing false narratives.
- Amid policy-and-legislation discussions surrounding freedom of speech and peaceful assemblies, entertainment platforms like social media have become a battleground for spreading misinformation during political unrest, such as the turmoil in Gopalganj.
- In the context of the ongoing political feud between the Awami League and the ruling interim government, crime-and-justice issues, like the misuse of state security forces and the circulation of false information via social media, continue to be major points of general-news coverage and public concern.
