A number of little-known websites and Facebook pages have become popular among the BNP-Jamaat-led alliance supporters in the past two months by circulating false and provocative news about the government and the ruling Awami League.
They have also been sharing posts on the now-how of making hand bombs and Molotov cocktails, and inspiring more attacks to make success the ongoing movement, which has already turned violent enough to claim the lives of over 35 people and injuries to several hundred people.
Most of the victims of the ongoing political violence are innocent apolitical citizens.
The websites are giving advertisements on the Facebook highlighting their contents as “breaking,” “secret” or “massive disclosures” while the Facebook pages, believed to be run by the supporters of the BNP’s student wing Chhatra Dal and Jamaat’s Islami Chhatra Shibir, are seen as suggestions on the users' news feeds.
The Facebook pages generally share the same contents among each other. The contents include news items on the ongoing incidents of vandalism, arson attacks and arrests while instigating more violence mentioning that the ruling government’s tenure is about to end.
Recently, the anti-government activists have opened a number of Facebook accounts and given them fake names so that the users cannot be traced easily. They commonly share the provocative posts of the like-minded pages and Jamaat-Shibir leaders.
Earlier, such planned distribution of propaganda and incitement for violence were seen in 2013 – during February-March and December-January 2014 – after the war crimes verdict in the case against Jamaat leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee and ahead of the 10th general election.
Some new Facebook pages have emerged centring the government-ouster movement alongside the ones active since 2013. Their activities are seen mainly after BNP Chairperson and 20-party chief Khaleda Zia in several public meetings asked supporters to get ready for the final movement.
Newsofbangladesh.com recently published a report mentioning that the recent arson attacks had been perpetrated by the ruling party men with the help of law enforcers, a claim made by the BNP chief in the middle of the indefinite blockade. Khaleda also blamed the ruling party supporters for carrying out such attacks.
Meanwhile, eurobdnews.com and correctnews24.com were found circulating stories on the government’s alleged conspiracy to conduct mass killings to suppress the movement.
Like 2013 and last year, anti-government pages including Basherkella, Vision2021, MEDIA WATCH BANGLADESH, Bangladeshi BD, I am Bangladeshi and Mohasotyer Ahoban are actively campaigning on the Facebook apparently to confirm that the secret attacks and sabotages continue.
These pages have more than 50,000 likes on Facebook while a couple of them have over 5,00,000 followers.
They also direct the agitators about who to kill and where to bomb. The target persons are mainly judges of the International Crimes Tribunal and the Supreme Court, ruling party leaders including the prime minister and cabinet members, human rights activists and media personalities.
Several units of the police, its elite force Rapid Action Battalion, intelligence agencies and the telecom regulator are engaged in monitoring the online platforms. But apparently, they have failed to stop these subversive activities.
When contacted, DMP Deputy Commissioner (media) Masudur Rahman said they were aware of such activities taking place on the Facebook and other social media platforms including blog sites.
“Such campaigns also took place in the past...,” he said in a reluctant voice.
Currently, the joint forces comprising police, RAB and BGB members have been tasked to arrest the persons responsible for incidents of arson and vandalism across the country. The government as well as RAB have also announced bounty for handing over arsonists to the law enforcers.
