In Bangladesh, divisions driven by influential people during elections can be particularly risky for several reasons. First, political discourse here often shifts from “policies and programmes” to “individuals and identities”. When influential people make this identity politics viral in simple language, social cleavages widen rapidly. People are unwilling to listen to reason because they have already chosen a “side”.
Second, rumors or half-truths spread quickly, because many people are not in the habit of checking sources. “I saw a video,” “someone said this” – that alone becomes evidence.
Third, some influencers unknowingly copy “foreign narratives.” For example, in the United States, language such as “Stop the Steal” became popular regarding election fraud; Later, similar language was copy-pasted in other countries. This copy-paste politics is dangerous for Bangladesh, because it already starts declaring the elections as illegitimate and no matter what the result is, public trust is broken.
Fourth, online tensions often translate into offline consequences, especially when influencers use suggestive language such as “punish,” “boycott,” or “teach them a lesson.” This creates insecurity for individuals and groups.
Fifth, it is directly related to human security. UNDP’s Human Development Report 1994 introduced the concept of human security, showing that security is not just about the state but about the everyday security of people. Divisive campaigns create fear and anxiety in the minds of people, break down family and social relationships and even make individuals victims of online harassment or threats. So the divisive role of influencers is not just about debate – it is about people’s actual safety.