Last Updated on January 14, 2026 11:31 pm by INDIAN AWAAZ
Zakir Hossain from Dhaka
Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus on Tuesday warned of a surge in disinformation that he said could undermine next month’s national elections, the first since a mass uprising in 2024 toppled the previous government.
Yunus, the 85-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate heading the caretaker administration, said he had sought the assistance of the United Nations to counter what he described as a wave of misinformation targeting the February 12 polls. According to a statement from his office, Yunus raised the issue in a telephone conversation with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk.
“There has been a flood of misinformation surrounding the elections,” Yunus told Türk, adding that false narratives were being spread by both foreign media outlets and local sources. “They have flooded social media with fake news, rumours and speculation. We are concerned about the impact this may have on the elections,” he said.
Bangladesh has remained politically volatile since a student-led uprising in August 2024 forced the ouster of then prime minister Sheikh Hasina, ending her 15-year rule. Yunus returned from exile at the request of protesters to lead an interim government as chief adviser and is expected to step down after the polls.
According to the statement, Türk assured Yunus of the UN’s support in addressing the issue. The European Union has described the upcoming vote in the Muslim-majority nation of around 170 million people as the “biggest democratic process of 2026”.
Yunus said his administration had inherited a “completely broken” political system and is pushing through a reform charter aimed at preventing a return to authoritarianism. A referendum on the proposed reforms, which seek to strengthen checks and balances among the executive, judiciary and legislature, will be held on the same day as the election.