A video of a police officer has gone viral on Facebook. In the 16-second clip, the senior officer is seen sitting at a press conference and making political remarks. He says, “I know I will lose my job, but I will say it anyway. The boat and the sheaf of paddy (electoral symbols of Awami League and Bangladesh Nationalist Party) are two snakes with the same venom. One group has eaten for 17 years, the other will supposedly eat for 20 years.”

He does not stop there. Speaking “on behalf of the people,” he adds, “And will we stay silent? The three forces together will give proper treatment to every extortionist and ‘tempobaj’ (extortionists operating at tempo stands) . If the people stand with us, we do not care about anyone.”

Ordinary Facebook users appeared deeply impressed after hearing what they described as the police officer’s “brave” and “people-friendly” words. Hundreds of people left comments thanking him for taking what they called the right stand. Some praised him for his courage, saying it was rare to find a police officer with such a “good mindset.”

One commenter wrote under the video, “Sir, thank you very much for your beautiful words. Sir, please do something so that from your department something comes out that we can all agree on—that we do not want such a government. Please sir, do something.”

Another wrote, “Why would you lose your job? After so long you people have come to your senses. Inshallah, Alhamdulillah.”

Some users also offered prayers for the officer. One comment read, “Thank you, sir. We need a few government employees like you. May Allah keep you well. Thank you, sir.”

Not everyone, however, was impressed by the police officer’s remarks. Some Facebook users viewed his words with suspicion.

One skeptical commenter wrote, “What did you do before? That needs to be investigated. What you are saying now is right, but how you were before also needs to be investigated. How did you suddenly become so good?”

The video, posted on November 22, had been viewed nearly 1.2 million times by December 17, the day this report was published. It had received more than 32,000 likes and had been shared about 5,500 times.

However, the police officer who caused such a stir on Facebook is not a member of the Bangladesh Police. In fact, he is not even a human being. The unnamed officer is a character created using artificial intelligence, or AI. Despite this, countless people commented on and shared the video believing the AI character to be a “real flesh-and-blood person.”

Political campaigns using AI-generated characters are now being carried out aggressively. In many cases, such AI characters have also been used to spread false information against political opponents.

As AI characters become increasingly realistic, many ordinary Facebook users are unable to identify such videos. As a result, they become confused, believing these characters to be real people, and often accept the false information they spread as true.

The BNP–Jamaat narrative battle

In the statement attributed to the AI-generated police officer mentioned above, positions are taken both directly and indirectly against the Awami League and the BNP.

Within political circles, there is a prevailing narrative that both parties are equally “bad.” This narrative is articulated through the AI police character with the line, “The boat and the sheaf of paddy are two snakes with the same venom.”

It is also stated directly, “One group has eaten for 17 years, the other will supposedly eat for 20 years.” Through this line, the upcoming election and the possibility of the BNP coming to power are portrayed negatively.

Indirectly, the AI police character also presents a narrative against the BNP by saying, “The three forces together will give proper treatment to every extortionist and ‘tempobaj’.” Since August 5, various reports in the media and on social media have highlighted allegations of extortion at the grassroots level of the BNP. As a result, the terms “extortionist” and “tempobaj” are now commonly used in campaigns against the party.

An analysis of other videos posted from the Facebook page Akhi’s story, which published this video, shows that the page regularly promotes narratives directly and indirectly against both the BNP and the Awami League, while simultaneously promoting narratives directly and indirectly in favor of Jamaat-e-Islami.

The page has published videos using the same AI police character with headlines such as “Jamaat will form the government,” “Prime minister from the Islamic alliance,” and “BNP 40 seats, Jamaat will get 190.”

The Akhi’s story page has 292,000 followers, and its individual videos have received anywhere from several thousand to several million views.

On the other hand, there are many Facebook pages engaged in creating and spreading narratives against Jamaat and its electoral allies while promoting the BNP.

For example, a video posted on a page called “Next Insight Network” shows a middle-aged cleric wearing a beard, cap, and panjabi, standing on a stage and addressing a crowd. He says, “Maududi’s Islam is not the Islam of Medina. You have deceived people on this land for a long time. If you try again this time, there will be no place for you. Just like in 1971, it is time once again to reject Jamaat. Everyone, say no to Jamaat.”

“Maududi’s Islam is not the Islam of Medina” is a widely circulated narrative used against Jamaat-e-Islami, and it is presented here through an AI cleric character.

The video also invokes Jamaat’s role in the 1971 Liberation War, another narrative commonly used against the party, with the line, “Just like in 1971, it is time once again to reject Jamaat.”

The same page has posted numerous videos calling for a boycott of Jamaat in the upcoming February election. Titles include, “Say no at the ballot box to Jamaat, which is anti-1971, anti-Islam, and anti-independence,” and “300 leaders and activists in Barishal leave Jamaat and Islami Andolon to join BNP.”

Many videos on the page also openly ask for votes for the BNP. A notable feature of the page is that all presenters are AI characters. Some appear as clerics, some as news presenters, and others as speakers. Two female AI presenters—one wearing a hijab and one without—appear regularly on the page.

The Next Insight Network page has 58,000 followers, and its individual videos have received anywhere from several thousand to several million views.

Political campaigning using AI characters: Findings from 18 pages

The Dissent analyzed the content of 18 Facebook pages, personal profiles, and YouTube channels identified as using AI-generated characters to create videos and campaign against political opponents on social media.

The analysis found that, ahead of the upcoming election, various forms of campaigning are being carried out through these AI characters. In most cases, the pages promote either the BNP or Jamaat. In some cases, campaigning in favor of the Awami League or other actors was also observed.

Across these pages, AI characters are presented in various professions. On some pages, the AI character appears as a police officer; elsewhere as a journalist, a talk-show host, a political analyst, a cleric, a hijab-wearing woman, or a woman in modern attire.

Below is an overview of the content types and characteristics of these pages, based on the variations in AI characters used.

Journalists and news presenters

Some pages use AI journalist and news presenter characters to present false or unverified information about political opponents in the form of news.

In one video from the Akhi’s story page, a female journalist holding a microphone is seen questioning a rickshaw puller: “Uncle, you don’t support the BNP, do you?” The rickshaw puller replies, “No, mother. I am a rickshaw puller, not an extortionist. There is no extortionist in fourteen generations of my family. Let me say one thing clearly: the boat and the sheaf of paddy are two snakes with the same venom. Remember that, mother.”

In a video from Next Insight Network, a news presenter is seen saying, “Jamaat-e-Islami has announced it will not obstruct the Awami League’s Dhaka lockdown program on the 13th if the demand for a referendum is not accepted.”

In addition to these two pages, DVC News, Jamaat Shibir Supporters, সত্যের পথে থাকুন, Karim Box Exposed, Next Bangladesh Network, BNP Info Network, জাতিস্বর and মগবাজার - Moghbazar regularly use AI journalist and news presenter characters to produce videos.

Religious sermons and clerics

Religious speakers and clerical characters are used to campaign for or against specific political parties.

In one video from Next Insight Network, a sermon speaker is seen saying, “Jamaat has a deviant creed. Maududi himself knew this, which is why he did not allow his children to join Jamaat. Allah created Islam, and Satan created Jamaat.”

The use of AI sermon speakers and religious characters has also been observed on the pages Next Bangladesh Network,  জাতিস্বর and মগবাজার - Moghbazar, Politics Paheli, সত্যের পথে থাকুন, and Akhi’s story.

Podcast hosts or guests, content creators

AI videos are also being created using characters presented as podcast hosts or guests, content creators, and interviewers.

In an AI-generated podcast on the Jamaat Shibir Supporters page, a woman is seen saying, “Jamaat’s vote share was mocked as 4 to 5 percent. Now they are polling at 32 to 35 percent. Jamaat will form the government in the next election, Inshallah.”

Pages such as Next Insight Network, Next Bangladesh Network, Moghbazar, মিম নেতা , and Romana Rahman have also been observed using AI characters as podcast hosts, guests, content creators, and interviewers.

Military and law-enforcement officers

Some pages have used AI characters portraying army and police officers. In one video on  ‘সত্যের পথে থাকুন’ page, an AI-generated army officer is seen addressing a public gathering, saying, “Yunus wants to turn the army into slaves. But he may not know that the army stands on the side of the 1971 Liberation War, not the collaborators of ’24.”

The pages Akhi’s story and Karim Box Exposed have also been observed using army and police officer characters in their videos to promote specific political messages.

Ordinary citizens, students, and analysts

Some pages use AI characters portraying ordinary citizens and students, particularly in election-related videos. In one AI-generated video on the Jamaat Shibir Supporters page, a group of people is seen saying, “Who should we vote for in the Cumilla-11 constituency? We will vote for Abdullah Mohammad Taher with the scale symbol, Inshallah.” The video has been viewed by about 303,000 people, received around 18,100 likes, and been shared 4,800 times.

Similar characters have also been used by the Politics Paheli and Karim Box Exposed pages. In addition, the Jahid Hasan Jewel page has been observed using an AI character presented as a political analyst.

Politicians and lawyers

Some pages feature AI-generated characters portraying politicians, members of parliament, and lawyers.

In one video on the News Bangla g24 YouTube channel, it is claimed that a member of India’s parliament says, “They will hold the election in February without the Awami League. Is this a lawless land? Just wait, this time U.S. sanctions will fall on your heads.” 

AI-generated politician, MP, and lawyer characters have also been observed in videos from Karim Box Exposed, Akhi’s story, and সত্যের পথে থাকুন .

Characters imitating real individuals

Some pages have used AI technology to create videos containing false statements by mimicking the images and voices of real political leaders.

In one such deepfake video posted by Next Insight Network page, using the image of Jamaat’s Nayeb-e-Ameer Abdullah Mohammad Taher, he is shown saying, “We wanted a referendum before the election, but Yunus handed us radishes instead.”

Pages such as Moghbazar, Politics Paheli, Romana Rahman, and Voice of Ekattor have also been observed creating AI videos with false statements using the images of various political leaders.

Election-focused videos

A significant portion of these pages appears to be working to influence the upcoming election. Using various AI-generated characters, they promote their preferred parties and campaign against opponents.

For example, in one AI-generated rally video on the Jamaat Shibir Supporters page, a speaker is seen saying, “Vote for the scale symbol against terrorists, extortionists, the corrupt, and autocrats.” In another video on the same page, a journalist asks a female garment worker whom she will vote for. She replies, “Those of us who work in garment factories have sat together and decided—we will vote for Jamaat this time.”

By contrast, in one video from Next Bangladesh Network, a sermon speaker says, “In their greed for votes, Jamaat leaders are saying whatever they like.” In another video from the Next Insight Network page, two individuals are seen saying, “Jamaat is a deceptive party that destroys people’s faith. They say that if you vote for Jamaat, you will go to heaven even if you do not pray. Nauzubillah.”

What impact could this have?

There are concerns that such AI-generated videos could have a significant impact on the upcoming national parliamentary election. When asked about this, Professor Sumon Rahman of the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) said, “These videos will definitely have a major impact on the election. Since it is now possible to create characters using AI, those who are doing this are not following any copyright rules. They use whatever face they need, whatever character they need. And there is no reason for these videos not to circulate, because making AI videos is not prohibited. If there is no proper social media regulation regarding how this is being used, it will definitely have a huge impact.”

He added, “AI is a highly refined thing. People already believe even crude, unedited photos manipulated with Photoshop, because they have confirmation bias. Since they already want to believe, AI presents things in a more refined way. As a result, people will believe it even faster and more easily.”