
A photo card bearing the logo of Ekattor TV has recently circulated on social media, claiming that BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman stated, “If local elections are held first, the Awami League will return; but if the national elections are held first, the Awami League will not return. I cannot make people understand this.” The claim was widely shared under the pretense that it originated from Ekattor TV.
Fact-check
An investigation by the Rumor Scanner team found that Tarique Rahman did not make the alleged statement, and Ekattor TV did not publish any such photo card under that headline. In reality, the circulated card is fabricated, edited using digital tools by altering a genuine Ekattor TV photo card that originally featured different remarks made by Rahman.
Upon close analysis, the fabricated card displays the Ekattor logo and a publishing date of April 22, 2025. However, no content related to this quote was found on Ekattor TV’s official Facebook page or website. Instead, on April 22, a photo card titled “BNP is ready to accept any good proposal in the interest of the people” was found on the media outlet’s Facebook page.
Upon reviewing that card, it was observed that apart from the headline, all other visual elements match those of the fabricated card. According to the news linked in the comments of Ekattor's original post, Tarique Rahman made remarks during a workshop on BNP’s 31-point reform plan, held virtually across three districts—Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, and Gaibandha—on April 22. In that workshop, Rahman said that differences of opinion are not an issue, and BNP is ready to accept any good proposal in the interest of the people. He stated that the party will accept good proposals when they arise.
No evidence supporting the viral claim was found in that report. Moreover, no other media outlet or reliable source could be found to verify the claim.
Therefore, the photo card, which attributes the statement “If local elections are held first, the Awami League will return; but if the national elections are held first, the Awami League will not return. I cannot make people understand this” to Tarique Rahman in the name of Ekattor TV, is edited and misleading.
Original News Source: https://rumorscanner.com/fact-check/tarique-rahman-ekattor-tv-edited-photocard/148588