UN rights chief offers support to combat misinformation centring Feb 12 polls

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus today sought support from the United Nations human rights office to counter a surge of misinformation targeting the February 12 elections.

“There has been a flood of misinformation surrounding the elections. It is coming from both foreign media and local sources,” he told Volker Türk, the UN high commissioner for human rights, during a phone conversation, according to the chief adviser's press wing.

“They have flooded social media with fake news, rumours and speculation. We are concerned about the impact this may have on the elections,” the chief adviser added.

Türk said he was aware of the problem and offered the support of his office to address what he described as a growing misinformation challenge.

“There is a lot of misinformation. We will do whatever is needed,” he said, adding that the UN rights agency would work closely with Bangladesh to tackle the issue.

During the conversation, the two also discussed the upcoming referendum, the importance of institutional reforms, the work of the Enforced Disappearance Commission, the formation of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), and the global geopolitical situation.

High Commissioner Türk stressed the importance of establishing “a truly independent” National Human Rights Commission to carry forward the work related to enforced disappearances.

In response, Prof Yunus said the NHRC ordinance has already been promulgated and a new commission would be reconstituted ahead of the February 12 elections.

“We will do it before we leave,” he said.

The chief adviser further said he had shared the final report of the Enforced Disappearance Commission with the UN high commissioner for human rights, describing it as a crucial document that would go a long way toward ensuring accountability and justice for the victims of enforced disappearances during the authoritarian regime from 2009 to 2024.

Türk praised the chief adviser’s efforts over the past year and a half. He said his office had supported the work of the Enforced Disappearance Commission and would continue to do so.

SDG Coordinator and Senior Secretary Lamiya Morshed was present during the conversation.