Amnesty warns Meta over Facebook-fueled attacks on Bangladeshi media ahead of 2025 elections

Summary

Amnesty International issued a warning that Bangladesh faced heightened risk of human‑rights abuses ahead of its February 2025 parliamentary elections due to harmful content on Meta's Facebook platform. Misleading and inflammatory posts, many traced to India, amplified sectarian narratives and labeled local outlets The Daily Star and Prothom Alo as "Indian agents" and "anti‑national forces," sparking mob attacks on their offices in Dhaka on 18 December 2025. Bangladeshi authorities reported the incidents to Meta, citing delays in removing violent content, and Amnesty called for emergency mitigation measures and stronger safeguards to prevent online incitement from translating into real‑world violence.