A two-day training program on “Fact-Checking to Combat Rumors” concluded in Sirajganj with a certificate distribution ceremony and a discussion meeting. The event took place today, Wednesday, 10 September 2025.
The training sessions were held on 8–9 September and aimed to strengthen participants’ ability to identify and counter misinformation.
This initiative is part of the broader project “Empowering Media Professionals, Girl Students and Community Women through an Improved Understanding of Digital Threats and Security Measures,” funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Bangladesh. In Sirajganj, the project is being implemented in collaboration with Community Development Organization (CDO), a local NGO partner.
A total of 20 students from different madrasas, colleges, and universities in Sirajganj took part in the training.
During the closing discussion, participants shared their experiences and noted that they had learned practical techniques to detect and verify misinformation using tools such as Google Reverse Image Search, InVID, Google Advanced Search, and web archiving. They proposed the creation of a dedicated fact-checking platform that would allow them to regularly verify and upload misleading information, thereby assisting the government in combating disinformation in the future.
To maintain collaboration, SACMID has already launched a WhatsApp group where the trained fact-checkers will share information on fake news and disinformation circulating in Sirajganj district.
The discussion meeting was attended by several distinguished guests, including Husne Ara Joly, Executive Director of Program for Women Development; Mohammad Ali, Deputy Director of the District Information Office, Sirajganj; Mohammad Abdul Mojid, Officer-in-Charge; and Mohammad Shahjalal Sobuj, Sub-Inspector, Sirajganj Sadar 2 Police Station.
Officials from the South Asia Center for Media in Development (SACMID) and Md. Zahidul Islam, Acting Executive Director and Chairman of CDO, were also present at the closing session.
Through this initiative, SACMID continues to work towards enhancing digital literacy, fact-checking skills, and cybersecurity awareness among young people and women across Bangladesh.
