Training workshop for capacity building and sensitizing teachers, civil society members, journalists, local government representatives, women and youths held
IED hosted 3 day long 2 training workshops from December 29-31, 2022 in Mymensingh and during January 5-7, 2023 in Jashore respectively. The workshops aims at building capacity and sensitizing young university-college-school level teachers, civil society members, journalists, local government representatives, women and youths to initiate to combat disinformation challenges for strengthening democratic practices in the election process and promoting peace and harmony. Total 60 participants actively participated in the events.
Mr. Qumrush Shahid Hafiz Adnan Riad, conducted and facilitated the training workshops. The events featured on identifying digital disinformation, information disorder, its identification and prevention technique, cyber security, digital hygiene, fact checking, social media management, information verification, and other related issues.
Dr. Shantanu Majumdar, Prof. of Political Science, Dhaka University said, there are various attempts ongoing from vested groups through spreading rumor and disinformation to achieve their goal. Disinformation and rumors are regularly spread by all the parties in the election period. There is a possibility to spreading rumors and disinformation among the groups in the next election. The professional society and the youths should be careful about this. He also said that disinformation, rumors, misinformation and fake news lead to misunderstanding, violence, aggressive attitude etc. in the society. Rumors have personal and political motives. Even sometimes rumors are spread through mass media.
Mr. Mobarak Hossain, Teacher of Jashore University of Science and Technology said, individual awareness is needed to avoid spreading misinformation. If we are aware about it then it is possible to deal this issue effectively. Ms. Muna Afrin, District Disability Development Officer; Elin Said Ur Rahman, District Assistant Information Officer; Sheikh Rokeya, Jashore Municipal Councilor; Begum Dolly, Vice President of Sommilito Sangskritik Jote; Kamrun Nahar Kana, Mahila Parishad; Shaheen Iqbal, Former Principal of Upshahar College; Rukunuddullah, Veteran Journalist; Jamal Uddin, Teacher, Jashore Zilla School; Habibur Rahman Milan, Jashore Press Club, and Shajahan Nannu, Vice President, ADAB participated along with other participants in the Jashore workshop.
Agriculturalist Abul Kashem, Assistant Director of Youth Development Department; Abdullah Al Muktadir, Teacher, English National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam University; Tanveer Ahmed Noman, Assistant Professor of Bangladesh Agricultural University; Mobarok Hossain Sumon, former Joint General secretary of BAU Teachers Association; Arif Shakil Pollob, Assistant Professor of Bangladesh Agricultural University, Masudul Hasan Arif, Principal, DKGS United College; Rokshana Shirin, Woman Councilor; Hamida Khatun and Hasina Begum, Syeda Convener, women’s Forum participated along with other participants in the Mymensingh workshop.
At the end of these sessions, all participants were encouraged and sensitized to combat unremitting spread of disinformation online effective way.
The outcomes are as follows:
- 60 members were trained on different techniques of information verification to combat digital disinformation.
- Capacity developed to play a lead role in the community on the issue.
- At field level, 60 trained members are ready to act as vanguard to ward off digital disinformation at social media and sensitize other youth about its detrimental effect in the society.