Old News Clip Falsely Revived to Claim Bangladesh Internet Shutdown Before Landmark Vote
The Claim
In the days leading up to Bangladesh’s February 12, 2026 general election, social media posts[1] in Bengali began warning that internet services would be shut down on Election Day and the day before. [2] A widely shared Facebook post[3] dated February 10 featured an 18-second clip of a television news bulletin in which a presenter states that internet services would be partially suspended for 20 hours.
The claim triggered concern among voters in a country of roughly 170 million people, particularly given Bangladesh’s recent history of communication blackouts during periods of unrest.[4] The timing just days before the nation’s first election since the 2024 uprising that ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina amplified fears that authorities might once again restrict digital access during a politically sensitive moment.
Why the Claim Gained Traction
The rumors did not emerge in a vacuum. In August 2024, during mass student-led protests that ultimately forced Hasina from power, authorities imposed sweeping shutdowns on internet, mobile phone and television services.[1] Social media platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp became inaccessible, reinforcing public memory of state-imposed communication blackouts during political crises.
As Bangladesh prepared for its first post-uprising election, many citizens remained alert to the possibility of renewed restrictions. Against that backdrop, the resurfaced news clip appeared credible to some viewers, who interpreted it as evidence of an impending shutdown tied directly to the vote.
What CyberPoe Verified
On-the-ground reporting and official confirmation contradict the viral claims. Journalists in Dhaka reported uninterrupted internet access both on February 11 the day before the vote and on the morning of February 12, when polling began. No widespread outages were observed.
Bangladesh Election Commission Secretariat Director Md Ruhul Amin Mollick directly refuted the allegations. Speaking on February 11, he described the circulating claims as “absolutely false” and confirmed that the commission had never announced any plan to suspend internet services during the election period.
The viral posts, therefore, did not reflect any official directive or real-time disruption. Instead, they repurposed outdated material.
The Misrepresented Video
A reverse image search using keyframes from the 18-second clip led to a longer broadcast uploaded on October 30, 2023 to the YouTube channel of Bangladeshi news outlet Independent Television.[1] The original segment runs one minute and 13 seconds and carries the title: “Internet connection will be down for submarine cable upgrade.”
In the full version, the anchor clearly explains that the temporary disruption was scheduled for October 30 and November 1, 2023 and was linked to maintenance and upgrade work on the country’s submarine cable infrastructure. The dates and technical context were included in the original report but were removed in the shortened clip that later circulated on Facebook in February 2026.
By trimming the footage to exclude the original dates and explanation, the viral posts created a misleading impression that the bulletin referred to the upcoming 2026 election.
Local media coverage from 2023, including reporting by The Daily Star, confirms that the temporary disruption was purely technical in nature and unrelated to any political event.
Context Matters
Bangladesh’s February 2026 election marks a significant political milestone following the 2024 uprising that ended 15 years of Hasina’s rule. The high-stakes environment has fueled heightened sensitivity to rumors and digital misinformation.
This case illustrates how previously broadcast material can be selectively edited and recirculated in a new political context to create confusion. By removing timestamps and key explanatory details, old footage was reframed as breaking news.
CyberPoe Verdict
There was no internet shutdown in Bangladesh ahead of or during the February 12, 2026 election. The viral clip circulating online misrepresents a 2023 news report about a scheduled submarine cable upgrade. Official authorities and on-the-ground reporting confirmed uninterrupted internet service during the voting period.
As election seasons increasingly coincide with rapid information flows on social media, recycled content can easily distort public perception. Verifying the original source, date and context of viral clips remains critical to separating fact from manufactured alarm.
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