𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐦 𝐀𝐥𝐨 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬

Students from the Prothom Alo Bondhushava Club of Eastern University proudly took part in a special daylong workshop focused on digital fact-checking and online verification, held on 5 December 2025 at the Prothom Alo Office in Karwan Bazar, Dhaka. A total of eleven club members participated in the intensive training titled “Question Everything You See Online: Training on Quick Fact-Checking & Verification.” The program was jointly organized by Bondhushava and Dismislab, with support from Deshi-Foods.

Throughout the workshop, participants engaged in a series of insightful sessions designed to strengthen their ability to navigate the digital world responsibly. In the first session, Miraj Ahmed Chowdhury, Managing Director of Digitally Right, discussed the importance of critical thinking in evaluating online content. The second session was led by Touhidul Islam Rasu, Research Officer at Dismislab, who focused on effective information verification methods and source assessment techniques. In the third session, Yaseer Abrar, also a Research Officer at Dismislab, trained participants on detecting misleading photos and videos through reverse search tools, metadata analysis, and practical verification techniques.

A special highlight of the event was the presence of renowned writer and Prothom Alo representative Mr. Anisul Haque, who emphasized Prothom Alo’s commitment to promoting responsible information verification among young people. He encouraged participants to stay vigilant about misinformation and introduced the guest trainers who conducted the sessions.
The program further covered techniques for identifying AI-generated visuals and texts, as well as methods for using global digital archives to verify old images, videos, and historical content. These sessions provided valuable hands-on experience with modern fact-checking tools and real-time verification practices.

By the end of the day, participants gained a strong foundation in fact-checking methodologies, developed faster techniques to validate social media content, and built greater confidence in detecting misinformation. They also received Certificates of Participation and had the opportunity to network with fellow learners and digital literacy enthusiasts, making the workshop highly enriching and impactful.