A coordinated propaganda campaign is being run on social media by a pro-Awami League network, allegedly using unrelated and old images to distort the reality of the July 16 Gopalganj clash, according to a fact-checking statement from the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing.

The statement, released Wednesday, claimed that multiple banned Awami League-affiliated accounts shared manipulated content in an attempt to frame a false narrative of the day’s violent incidents. As part of this effort, influential party sympathizers reportedly posted outdated and unrelated images, presenting them as scenes from the recent unrest.

One such post by former Chhatra League leader SM Zakir Hossain and ex-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s former deputy press secretary Ashraful Alam Khokon showed a teenager being carried away with flames and chaos in the background. The image, presented as proof of the July 16 violence, was actually from a separate incident on August 10, 2024.

Another misleading photo shared by the same individuals depicted a DB officer allegedly firing at protestors, implying direct involvement of security forces. However, verification traced this image to a BNP rally in Narayanganj on December 8, 2022.

Several other images used to show injured people being treated in hospitals or children involved in violence were also proven unrelated. One particular image of a child holding a stick was widely shared with the claim it was taken during the Gopalganj clash. In reality, the image was a screenshot from a 2023 video filmed in Gazipur’s Safipur area and had no connection to the recent events. A digitally altered version of this photo was circulated by Nijhum Majumdar, identified by the press wing as a known online propagandist close to the ruling party.

Additionally, false claims were made by these accounts accusing the Bangladesh Army of firing indiscriminately on civilians — allegations the press wing said are entirely baseless and intended to manipulate public perception.

The July 16 violence erupted after a scheduled rally in Gopalganj when members of the ruling Awami League and its student wing allegedly attacked a convoy of National Citizen Party (NCP) leaders. This confrontation escalated into a violent clash involving law enforcement and ruling party factions. At least four people were killed, and several vehicles, including those of the police and a government official, were set on fire.

As the situation spiraled out of control, a strict curfew was imposed in Gopalganj from 8 p.m. on July 16 to 6 p.m. the next day.

The press wing concluded that this deliberate spread of manipulated visuals was part of a broader strategy to flood timelines with disinformation and distract from the actual sequence of events on the ground.