Govt to set up social media romour detection cell: Tarana

State Minister for Information Tarana Halim today said the government has taken an initiative to set up a monitoring cell to detect rumours in different social networking sites, BSS reported.

“The rumours will be identified within three hours through the cell. A ‘Rumour Identification and Removal Centre’ will be set up at the Press Information Department (PID) of Information Ministry in last week of the current month,” she said while exchanging views with the journalists at her Secretariat office here.

Tarana said the cell will be in operation round-the-clock and the concerned officials will discharge their duties for eight hours in three shifts.

“Besides, we are trying to introduce a (phone) number which will be available to all journalists as we want to reach the information about rumours to them,” she said.

The state minister said the social networking sites turn into a factory of rumours ahead of polls and many people believe those rumours.

Tarana said BNP-Jamaat has opened a publicity cell in London and spreading rumours through 300 websites and they are more active.

“The rumours will increase ahead of the polls. Therefore, we have a responsibility to expose the rumours and this cell will be formed to this end,” she added.

The cell will continuously monitor different social networking sites and will inform the local media through a press release within three hours if any rumour is found, she said, adding the cell will also inform media about the truth.

Referring to the Bangabandhu Satellite-1, Tarana said this is the country’s first ever communications satellite that made its debut with the live coverage of the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship 2018 on BTV.

Recently, a letter was sent to private television channels requesting them to use Bangabandhu-1 as it is capable of providing services, she added.