Nomadic narratives the cross-border spread of misinformation in South Asia

On October 6, 2024, the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) successfully hosted a highly impactful network symposium titled "Nomadic Narratives: The Cross-Border Spread of Misinformation in South Asia" at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon, Dhaka.

The symposium was part of the ongoing research project "Countering Misinformation and Hate Speech in South Asia: Towards a South Asian Strategy," led by the Centre for Critical and Qualitative Studies (CQS) at ULAB in collaboration with CMR-Nepal and SLPI Sri Lanka.

The project is supported by the Asia Foundation (TAF).

The event brought together prominent scholars, media professionals, policymakers, and regional stakeholders to discuss the escalating issue of cross-border misinformation and its social, cultural, and political impact across South Asia.

The symposium featured four core sessions, each offering valuable insights into different facets of misinformation and its impact on South Asia's shared historical and cultural context.

The event commenced with a welcome remark by Professor Imran Rahman, Vice-Chancellor of ULAB, who emphasised the importance of addressing the growing threats of misinformation in South Asia's interconnected landscape.

During the opening session, Professor Sumon Rahman, Director of CQS at ULAB, and Rahul Roy, Research Assistant at CQS, shared groundbreaking research on the transnational spread and adaptation of misinformation across South Asian countries.

This research examined how cultural, social, and political histories influence the dissemination of harmful content, creating a unique challenge for the region. The session also highlighted the need for critical regional research to address information disorders effectively.

Key speakers, including Kazi Faisal Bin Seraj, Country Representative of TAF, and Shish Haider Chowdhury, Secretary of the Information and Communication Division, Ministry of Posts, Telecommunication, and Information Technology, commended the research's depth and urged the need for regional cooperation to tackle this pervasive issue.

Professor Salimullah Khan, Director of CAT at ULAB, elaborated on the intersection of misinformation and historical narratives, making the session a cornerstone for the day's proceedings.

In his concluding remarks, Md. Nahid Islam, honourable adviser, Department of Posts and Telecommunications, expressed his deep appreciation for the insightful research findings presented during the session. He emphasized the critical importance of understanding how misinformation transcends national borders, adapting to diverse social, political, and cultural contexts across South Asia.

Md. Islam highlighted the urgency of addressing the growing threat of misinformation, which is increasingly fueling conflicts and undermining regional stability.

The Honourable Adviser called for a united regional effort to combat these information disorders, urging scholars, policymakers, and media professionals to work together in building a resilient information ecosystem.

Md. Islam underscored that countering misinformation requires a multifaceted approach, combining research, policy interventions, and grassroots initiatives aimed at increasing media literacy and critical thinking.

He concluded by reiterating his commitment to supporting regional collaborations and praised the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) and its partners for leading such a vital initiative. He expressed hope that this research will serve as a foundation for meaningful action and strategic partnerships in the fight against misinformation across South Asia.

The second session explored how recent political unrest in Bangladesh has been perceived and portrayed in Indian media. The session focused on the ways narratives were shaped and manipulated within Indian news outlets, often leveraging historical tensions and linguistic, cultural, and religious factors. Qadaruddin Shishir, Fact Check Editor at AFP, Bangladesh, Swasti Chatterjee, News Editor at Boom Factcheck, and Ruby Dhingra, Managing Editor and Head of Newschecker, were among the panelists who dissected the role of media in spreading biased or false information.

Moderated by Prof Sumon Rahman, Founding Editor at FactWatch, Bangladesh, the panel examined how misinformation related to Bangladesh's political crisis has been weaponized to affect India-Bangladesh relations. The panelists discussed strategies used by malicious actors to propagate misinformation and how these narratives affected the public perception of both countries, with implications for future diplomatic relations.

The afternoon sessions focused on solutions, beginning with a discussion on regional partnerships to advance digital literacy. Representatives from development agencies, including Sheela Tasneem Haq, Senior Governance Specialist at UNDP, and MD Zakaria, Program Director at the Asia Foundation, spoke on the role of international agencies in facilitating initiatives to counter information disorders.

The panel, moderated by Miraj Ahmed Chowdhury, Managing Director of Digitally Right, examined the opportunities and challenges in boosting digital literacy across South Asia.

Discussions centred on the importance of regional collaboration to create more inclusive digital literacy programs and combat the misinformation crisis. Kumar Lopez, CEO of SLPI Sri Lanka, and Ujjwal Acharya, Director of CMR-Nepal, emphasised the need for stronger cross-border cooperation to enhance critical thinking and media literacy at all levels of society.

The final session was a presentation of a draft regional strategy aimed at establishing South Asian cooperation in tackling transnational misinformation. Zulker Naeen, Research Coordinator at CQS, ULAB, presented the strategy, which drew from earlier research on culturally adaptive misinformation. The session provided an opportunity for peer review and feedback, with discussants from across the region, including Deepak Adhikary, Editor of Nepal Check, Isuru Samaratunga from LIRNEasia in Sri Lanka, and Mariyam Asna Saeed, President of Women in Tech Maldives.

The interactive session was moderated by Saimum Reza Talukder, Senior Lecturer at BRAC University, and featured insights from regional experts on the strategies for addressing misinformation.

Attendees actively participated in refining the regional strategy, ensuring it accounted for the unique sociopolitical challenges of each country in the region.

The Network Symposium successfully fostered dialogue on the shared challenges of misinformation in South Asia and the urgent need for regional collaboration. Participants agreed that cross-border cooperation is essential for developing effective strategies to combat information disorder and that partnerships between media organisations, governments, and international bodies are crucial.

The event concluded with a call to action for regional actors to commit to long-term strategies that can curb the spread of misinformation while promoting digital literacy, critical thinking, and media accountability.

The final regional strategy is expected to be released in November 2025, following further consultation and peer review.