The monitoring cells of law enforcing agencies are maintaining surveillance to prevent any attempt to create social disruption via spread of false and fabricated news.
The cells came into operation during election but these are especially alert since there’s fear that malicious efforts are underway to subvert the newly elected government by spreading concocted news.
In the last few days, Rapid Action Battalion, RAB, arrested seven persons from different areas of the country accused of using social media to disseminate false news.
In 2018, RAB arrested 48 persons for spreading rumours through social media with 22 arrested in December alone.
RAB’s director of public relations, commander Mufti Mahmud Khan, told Bangla Tribune: “spreading false news is a serious crime and we are maintaining round the clock vigilance to counter this harmful trend.”
During the 11 national elections, monitoring cells were formed in every district and upazila along with a coordination cell.
Reportedly, there’s talk of forming a new police unit to deal with social media abuse; already, several steps have been taken in this regard.
AIG Md. Sohel Rana of the communication section of the police headquarters, told Bangla Tribune: “to prevent the spread of fabricated news is a crime and therefore, social media monitoring will be tightened.”
A new unit called Cyber Police Centre is being formed.
In addition, under the Enhancing Cyber Crime Investigation Capability of Bangladesh Police, the CID of police is getting the support of latest digital forensic lab formed with financial and technical support from South Korea.