Sponsored fake news claiming The Daily Star sports reporter ‘infected with Covid-19’

FT ONLINE

A Facebook page by the name of 'Bangladesh Sangbadik Samity' has been spreading a rumour that The Daily Star's sports reporter Ramin Talukder has been infected with coronavirus and had been attending office till April 12.

This is patently false and fake news as Ramin is neither sick nor did he come to work after mid March. The Daily Star's sports section was one of the first departments of the daily to start working remotely, which the newspaper started two or three days after the countrywide shutdown came into effect from March 26. All sections, including the front and back pages, have been working fully remotely since last week.

"I can confirm that I am not sick at all," Ramin said after hearing of the rumour. "The last time I came to work probably was in the middle of March. The last time I ventured out of my house was on April 2 or 3 for groceries. I have not left home ever since. I have no fever, everyone is well in my family by God's grace. I don't know how this rumour spread."

The fake news has also become a sponsored item, with the aforementioned Facebook group pushing the misinformation in what seems an attempt to make it go viral.