Fact check: Multiple AI Videos Went Viral Regarding The Awami League’s Call For A Nationwide Lockdown

Claim– Statements in favour of Hasina’s family members and the administration regarding the Awami League’s nationwide lockdown.
Fact– The circulated videos are created using AI or artificial intelligence.

Recently, Awami League leaders and activists ordered their members to observe a lockdown program nationwide on November 13. At the same time, video statements from Hasina’s family members about the future of the Awami League were circulated. Many police officials were also seen speaking in favour of the Awami League in these videos. See some of these clips here- (1), (2), (3), and (4).

Newschecker has verified and found the claims in these viral videos to be false, thus altered media.

Factcheck/Verification:

On the 13th, Awami League announced a lockdown, and subsequently on the 16th and 17th, shutdown programs were declared concerning Hasina’s verdict. Besides, to verify the authenticity of the circulated video claims of Hasina’s daughter, Putul and several persons in administrative roles speaking in favour of Awami League, multiple video key-frame searches and reverse image searches were conducted, which showed these claims are not true. Moreover, checking these videos through AI detector tools confirmed that these videos are AI-generated.

In the above-attached viral video (1), Hasina’s daughter Saima Wazed Putul and Sheikh Rehana’s son Radwan Siddiqui Mujib Bobby say in a video message that Saima Wazed Putul will take the future of Awami League forward. To verify this video’s authenticity, we initially conducted a reverse image search. Our investigation found a still image similar to the video in an Instagram post.

Later, observing many inconsistencies in the video, we checked it using the AI detector tool Wasit AI. The result: the video was created with AI.

In the viral video (2), a police officer is heard saying that 50 coordinators resigned in support of the Awami League’s recent program. The video also states that they possess confidential information that BNP and Shibir activists create unrest and blame the Awami League. To verify this video, after reverse image search, the original video was found. The original is primarily a press briefing by the Khulna police commissioner, where he spoke about arresting the main culprit of an incident involving robbery and molestation on a moving bus. See the original video here – Jamuna TV and ekattor  TV. Moreover, the AI detector tool verification showed that the video is AI-generated.

Video (3) features a RAB officer stating he arrested people involved while BNP and Shibir activists set buses on fire. Spotting multiple inconsistencies, we verified this video with the AI detector tool, which confirmed it is AI-generated.

Video (4) shows the DMP commissioner stating that during a bus fire incident, BNP activists were arrested. To verify this video’s authenticity, a reverse image search was conducted. We found no such statement after reviewing multiple press briefings of the DMP commissioner, recently given in relation to the Awami League lockdown and Hasina’s verdict. See here – Prothom Alo and Daily Ittefaq.
Checking this video with an AI detector tool confirmed it was AI-generated, distorting the statement for dissemination.

Notably, on November 17, the ICT (International Crimes Tribunal) sentenced fugitive former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death. ATN News.
In conclusion, the viral videos about Awami League’s programs involving the administration and its family members are AI-generated.

Result: Altered Media

Our Sources:
Instagram post
Prothom Alo and Daily Ittefaq

Jamuna TV and ekattor TV
AI Detector tools.