Rapid Action Battalion claimed to have arrested two people for their involvement in creating fake websites identical to those of different local media outlets and circulating false and “anti-government” news through them.

The arrestees were Kamal Hossain alias GM Kamal, 23, and Md Al Amin, 30.

A team of Rab-2 arrested Kamal and Al Amin from the capital's Mohammadpur and Tongi areas and seized a laptop and cell phones from their possession, said Muhammad Mohiuddin Faruqe, superintendent of police of Rab-2.

Kamal is a third year BBA student of Nawab Faizunnesa Degree College of Cumilla and Al Amin completed BSC from Dhaka United University. Both of them worked as technical support of different corporate houses for social media marketing, web design and domain hosting cell, Rab said.

Both of them allegedly spread fake news after creating identical websites of Bangla daily Prothom Alo, and some online news portals, including banglatribune.com and BBC Bangla.

During interrogation, the arrestees confessed to spreading fake and provocative news in order to circulate “anti-government” propaganda and create an unstable situation in the country ahead of the national election, said SP Faruqe.

“It also helped them collect revenue as the BNP, Jamaat and anti-government supporters 'liked' and shared the fake news,” he said.

Generally, Facebook authorities would give Tk 250 to 300 through bank accounts, if any post reaches 1000 likes or views on social media, Rab said.

“Both Kamal and Al Amin were linked with Islami Chhatra Shibir and we also collected details of BKash numbers through which monetary transactions were made,” said Faruqe, adding that these Bkash numbers were also operated to collect funds for Shibir.

A case was filed against the duo under the Digital Security Act 2018 with Mohammadpur Police Station. 

“Through primary interrogation, we also got clues of some other people involved in spreading fake news. We are now conducting drives to arrest them,” SP Faruqe added.

Earlier on November 24, Rab arrested Enamul Haque Mony on charge of spreading fake news through creating identical websites of Prothom Alo and some other news portals.

Mony, a Bangladeshi PhD student at South Korean University, was placed on a one-day remand again yesterday, said Yeasin Faroque Mozumder, officer-in-charge of Dhaka Railway Police Station.

During his stay in South Korea, Mony created at least 22 such fake websites and earned money through them. Mony was also involved with Islamic Chhatra Shibir, said police.