Government Seeks UNESCO Assistance to Combat Misinformation and Disinformation

The Minister expressed this intent during a courtesy call with Dr. Susan Vize, the UNESCO Representative to Bangladesh, at the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in the Secretariat on Wednesday morning, April 22, 2026. During the meeting, Dr. Vize provided a detailed overview of UNESCO’s ongoing initiatives and global role in addressing concerns related to media policies and the spread of false information.

Dr. Susan Vize highlighted UNESCO’s global focus on fact-checking as a primary tool to combat propaganda. She informed the Minister that as part of these efforts, UNESCO is currently providing specialized training to university students in Bangladesh to equip the younger generation with the skills necessary to verify information. Welcoming this initiative, the Information Minister noted that there is significant scope for joint collaboration between the Bangladesh government and UNESCO across various media-related sectors. He stressed that leveraging UNESCO’s international experience and expertise is crucial for maintaining transparency in the digital age.

The meeting concluded with Dr. Vize assuring the government of UNESCO’s full cooperation in these endeavors. Both parties agreed on the necessity of ensuring the free flow of accurate information to maintain social stability. Also present at the meeting were State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Yasser Khan Chowdhury and Secretary Mahbuba Farzana. This coordinated effort between the government and the international organization is expected to make Bangladesh’s information landscape more reliable, aligning with media integrity standards upheld in many developed and NATO-member nations.