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‘Asol Chini’ campaign launched to fight fake info


Bangladeshpost
Published : 08 Sep 2020 09:48 PM | Updated : 15 Sep 2020 08:48 PM

The government Tuesday launched a campaign titled: ‘Asol Chini’ (Know the true information) to know the truth-against the rush of fake information and rumors in the online and social media.

As many as seven million people will be aware under the three-month long campaign launched jointly by Digital Security Agency (DSA) and LICT project of Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC) under ICT Division, said a press release.

Inaugurating the campaign at the BCC auditorium and zoom platform, State Minister for ICT Division Zunaid Ahmed Palak said it is very difficult to know the truth due to the onrush of fake information and rumors in the online and social media causing social unrest, damage of property and even loss of life.

‘But we could get to know the truth easily if we apply our common sense and intellect,” Palak said adding the ICT division has started campaigning from Tuesday to stop rumors and fake information.

Senior Secretary of the ICT Division N M Zeaul Alam, Director General of DSA and LICT Project Director Md Rezaul Karim, BCC Executive Director Parthapratim Deb, Policy Adviser of LICT Project Sami Ahmed, Communication Manager of UNICEF Shakil Faizullah, Women and e-Commerce Forum President Nasima Akhter Nisha and Founder of Bangladesh Innovation Forum Arif Hasan Opu, among others, spoke on the occasion.

Digital Communication Specialist Hasan Benaul Islam moderated the function.

Palak presented a power point on ‘Building Digital Literate Nation,’ at the function describing the overall objectives of the campaign.

Stressing on digital literacy, he said although the rate of literacy has been increased substantially there are lack of digital literacy.

“There is no alternative to digital literacy to stop fake info and spread rumor in the online and social media.” Palak said urging the youths to create awareness among the people about the fake information and rumors.

The state minister said it is the youths who could detect the fake information and rumors and help others to know the truth. The government has been engaging the members from the young generation who represent 90 percent of the total social media users to make successful of the Asol Chini campaign, he added.

To mark the campaign a platform `Durbar’ (www.durbar21.org) has been developed for registering the names of two ambassadors from each union, upazial, district and wards of municipal corporation and pourasava who will involved in creating awareness among the people about the menace of fake information and rumors. Anyone can also read the contents by registering through Durbar.

Later, the state minister handed over two laptops to Tuba and Mahir, the daughter of slain Taslima Begum Renu who was mercilessly beaten to death due to rumor in 2019.