Lion Md. Gani Miah Babul : Declaring a living person dead and spreading rumours about their death on social media is not merely an act of irresponsibility; it is also an extreme manifestation of inhumanity. When the person concerned is a well-known and respected individual who has devoted a significant part of his life to public welfare, the impact of such false news on the emotions of his family, friends, colleagues, and countless well-wishers can be deeply distressing. Recently, an unfortunate situation arose when false reports of the death of Ilias Kanchan, founder and chairman of Nirapad Sarak Chai (NISCHA), were circulated on social media. Ilias Kanchan has not died. He is currently undergoing treatment in London and is doing well. The reports of his death are completely false and baseless. Naturally, such false information has caused concern and anger among the leaders and activists of Nirapad Sarak Chai, his family members, well-wishers, and countless people across the country. When the family and well-wishers of a person are already concerned about his health and treatment, spreading false news of his death can cause immense emotional pain. This should be understood by everyone. Ilias Kanchan has earned widespread love and respect not only as a popular actor in Bangladesh`s film industry but also as a courageous and dedicated leader of the road safety movement through Nirapad Sarak Chai. His journey into social activism began with a deeply tragic personal loss, which he transformed into a movement dedicated to saving human lives. Today, that movement has grown into a national campaign. Nirapad Sarak Chai is no longer merely the name of an organisation; it has become closely associated with the people`s demand and right to safe mobility on Bangladesh`s roads. For more than three decades, Ilias Kanchan has been raising his voice for road safety. He has consistently worked to build public awareness against road crashes, unskilled and untrained drivers, unfit vehicles, violations of traffic laws, lack of awareness among pedestrians, and various weaknesses in road management. Sometimes through rallies and public gatherings, sometimes through seminars, sometimes through the mass media, and sometimes by directly reaching people at the grassroots level, he has continued to highlight the importance of safer roads. Therefore, spreading rumours about the death of a person like Ilias Kanchan is not simply the circulation of false information about an individual. It is also an attack on the emotions associated with a long-standing social movement. To the road safety activists of NISCHA and its countless well-wishers across the country, Ilias Kanchan is a source of inspiration. When people are already concerned about his health, false reports of his death only intensify their anxiety and distress. In the age of social media, spreading rumours has become extremely easy. Within seconds, a post can reach thousands of people. One person may publish unverified information, while others may share it without checking whether it is true. In this way, false information can rapidly become widespread. The most worrying aspect is that many people, driven by emotion, share information without verifying its source. News of someone`s death is particularly sensitive. A false death report can cause profound psychological distress to a person`s family, and there is no justification for treating such an issue lightly. Relatives may become terrified, friends and colleagues may fall into deep anxiety, and because of a person`s public identity, thousands of people may become confused and distressed. The media and journalists also have a special responsibility in this regard. Publishing accurate information is far more important than publishing a story quickly. Particularly in matters involving someone`s death or serious illness, information must be confirmed through reliable sources before it is published. A post found on social media can never be considered a substitute for verified information from a trustworthy source. It must be remembered that news has a direct impact on people. Accurate news can raise awareness and help society, while false information can create fear, confusion, and unnecessary panic. Therefore, journalism and news dissemination carry an important ethical responsibility. This responsibility belongs not only to journalists and media organisations but also to every citizen who uses social media. The rumours surrounding Ilias Kanchan`s death raise another important question: Are we behaving responsibly with information? Do we share a piece of news immediately after seeing it? Do we stop for a moment to consider what could happen if the information we share turns out to be false? A person`s death is among the most sensitive matters in human life. It should never be treated as social media "content." Using people`s emotions for attention, spreading false information to attract public interest, or circulating unverified news cannot be accepted under any circumstances. Ilias Kanchan is currently undergoing treatment in London. His treatment and recovery are important to his family, his organisation, and his countless well-wishers. At this time, what he needs is people`s prayers and good wishes. Instead of spreading rumours about his death, sincerely praying for his speedy recovery should be the responsible response from everyone. Ilias Kanchan`s relationship with the Nirapad Sarak Chai movement is not merely organisational. It is an integral part of his life`s long struggle. The movement he initiated to save people`s lives on the roads continues to this day. The organisation`s leaders and activists are working across the country, conducting awareness programmes, providing driver training, raising pedestrian awareness, and building public opinion on road safety. The deaths caused by road crashes every day are not merely statistics. Behind every death there is a family, a dream, and a future. A father loses his child; a child loses a parent; a wife loses her life partner. Therefore, the movement for road safety is fundamentally a movement to protect human lives and the future of families. Ilias Kanchan`s contribution to the road safety movement, the film industry, and the socio-economic development of the country is highly significant. Spreading false reports of his death is not only deeply irresponsible but also disrespectful to his contributions and achievements. Rather than circulating such rumours, we should honour the good work he has done throughout his life. Our responsibility is to strengthen the demand for safer roads and create greater awareness among the people. A strong social resistance against rumours must be developed. We need to cultivate the habit of never sharing information without first verifying it. Families, educational institutions, and social organisations should play a greater role in educating people about information verification. The media must become even more responsible, while social media users must understand that even a single careless share can sometimes cause serious social harm. The rumours about Ilias Kanchan`s death may have frightened people for a short period, but this incident has left us with an important lesson: as technology advances, our sense of responsibility must also grow. The faster information travels, the greater the need to verify it. Ilias Kanchan is alive, he is undergoing treatment in London, and he is doing well. The reports of his death are completely false and nothing more than rumours. There is no reason to be misled by such misinformation. Instead, everyone should sincerely pray and wish for his speedy recovery. Ilias Kanchan transformed the pain of a personal tragedy into a movement dedicated to saving human lives. Our responsibility towards him is not to spread rumours but to stand beside him, pray for his recovery, and carry forward the movement for safer roads that he has devoted so much of his life to building. That would be the true way to honour him. Let us spread truth, not rumours. Let us embrace humanity, not misinformation. Our beloved and respected Ilias Kanchan is doing well. Let us sincerely pray for his complete recovery. O Almighty Allah, please grant Ilias Kanchan Bhai and all of us complete health, guidance, and a long life. Ameen. About the Author: Lion Md. Gani Miah Babul Teacher, Poet, Columnist, Social Worker and Organiser Founding President, Bangladesh Government Secondary Teachers Association (Agriculture), Central Committee Joint Secretary-General, Nirapad Sarak Chai (NISCHA), Central Committee 70 Kakrail, Dhaka, Bangladesh Email: lionganibabul@gmail.com Phone: 01552631118, 01842631118