TAREK HOSEN

A Facebook page named Daily Biplobi Kantho, with more than 72,000 followers, presents itself as a media outlet.Since its creation in March 2025, the page has changed its name twice -- first from Cholti Pothe to NISAD VLOGS, and later to Daily Biplobi Kantho -- before adopting the branding and appearance of a legitimate news platform.On April 18, the page published a reel of actress Keya Payel that appeared to be recorded without consent, using deliberate camera angles and continuing to film even after she objected.

The video quickly drew a flood of sexually suggestive comments. Within two days, the page uploaded at least 20 more reels featuring the same actress. Most of these clips shifted focus away from any news context, relying instead on selective framing and zoomed-in shots that emphasised her body.A review of the page’s output shows this was not an isolated incident but part of a broader content strategy. The visuals are frequently decontextualised, slowed down, and framed to foreground physical appearance rather than events or information -- most often with women as the subject.That pattern extends well beyond a single page. The Daily Star identified at least 30 Facebook pages posting similar content and reviewed around 100 reels posted on them.Of these pages, 24, including Daily Biplobi Kantho, describe themselves as “Media/News Company” on Facebook. The six others call themselves “Digital Creator”. However, none of them is listed as media outlets on the information ministry website.Across them, actresses, models, female politicians, academics, and other women are repeatedly featured in videos edited to strip away context and draw attention to specific body parts.Administrators of two pages -- Daily Biplobi Kantho and Telebangla.com -- acknowledged to The Daily Star that the approach is aimed at gaining followers and engagements, which eventually help monetise the page.Salma Ahmed, an associate professor of Journalism and Media Studies at Jahangirnagar University, warned that such portrayals of women can have lasting consequences.“Repeated exposure to body‑focused visuals can distort perceptions, reinforcing the idea that a woman’s value lies in her physical appearance while her identity, intellect, and work are sidelined,” she told The Daily Star.She added that the trend also increases risks in digital spaces by normalising harassment, trolling, and stalking. “When engagement becomes the primary goal, respect and accountability

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