সম্পাদকীয় নীতি | সত্য কথা কীভাবে লেখে

Last updated: 1 November 2026. This Editorial Policy explains how Sotto Kotha (sottokotha.com) chooses topics, verifies facts, writes and publishes. Reader trust is the asset we protect — not raw click counts.

Brand promise: accurate, clear, quick. The answer should land in the first screen, especially on mobile and slower networks.

1. Editorial purpose

Goal	What it means
Answer first	Resolve the main question in about 40–80 words, then steps and context
Verifiability	Named sources behind important facts
Local usefulness	Bangladesh readers, Bangla search intent, official portals
Readability	Short sentences, standard Bangla, scannable structure
Transparency	Update dates, correction notes, source links

2. What we cover

All topics exist from launch. For the first 90 days, publish weight is about 60% pillars (education & results, jobs, sports) and 40% everything else.

Slug	Name	Role
`education`	Education & Results	Pillar A — results, forms, guides
`jobs`	Jobs	Pillar B — circulars, schedules, prep
`sports`	Sports	Pillar C — match/tournament updates
`news`	News	General news and explainers
`tech` / `health` / `business` / `entertainment` / `lifestyle`	Tech · Health · Business · Entertainment · Lifestyle	Everyday guides and stories

3. Topic selection

We avoid “trending but empty” posts. One article usually carries one primary focus.

Check whether demand exists in Bangladesh now/this week (result windows, job deadlines, fixtures, policy spikes).
Note what competitors miss — dates, steps, warnings, official links, local context.
Reject: evergreen fluff, pure speculation, medical/legal advice without sources/reviewer, weak duplicate updates.
Research references: Google Trends (Bangladesh) · Google — Creating helpful, reliable, people-first content.

4. Verification and sources

Tier	Acceptable	Not enough
Primary	Government portals, boards, gazettes, employer official notices	Anonymous Facebook screenshots
Secondary	Dated reports from recognised newsrooms (cross-checked)	Viral forwards alone
Numbers/dates	Matched to at least one reliable source	Numbers written from memory
Quotes	In context; fabricated quotes banned	Dramatic invented lines

We try to store a named source and URL on each article (_sk_source_name / _sk_source_url). When sources conflict, we tell the reader — we do not force a false certainty.

International ethics references: IFJ Global Charter of Ethics for Journalists · Accountable Journalism — ethics codes library · SPJ Code of Ethics.

5. Structure and tone

The theme shell stays stable: H1 → intro → key-points box → body → sources/update note. Inside that shell, each post’s shape should vary — no cloned house skeleton.

Element	Rule
Intro	Answer early; do not recycle the same lede mould
Key points	3–5 short bullets
Body	Usually ≥4 H2s; guides go deep; news briefs may be shorter if still complete
Internal links	≥3 relevant posts/topics per article
Tone	Neutral, clear — no clickbait or sensational headlines
Language	Bangla primary; English a full equivalent twin (not a summary)

Writing is not personal medical, legal or investment advice — see Terms. For health/finance, name a reviewer when one exists (_sk_reviewed_by); never invent clinical claims.

6. Headlines, SEO and search policy

We want to rank, but not by misleading readers. Rank Math scores help; people-first content and anti-spam rules come first.

Every title must be unique — no recycled moulds or English checkbox bait glued onto Bangla.
Focus keywords appear naturally; no stuffing.
No cloaking, doorway pages, scraped/scaled spam, deceptive schema or link schemes.
Google guidance: Google Search Essentials · Google spam policies · Title links in search.
Discover/image context: Google Discover content guidance.

7. Images and media

Rule	Detail
Original/licensed	No unlicensed copies; descriptive alt text (usually Bangla)
Featured	16:9, roughly ≥1200px wide — Discover/OG ready
In-body	Guides usually use multiple realistic images; avoid cloning one house trio every post
Deception	No fake captions or out-of-context drama images to manufacture clicks

8. AI assistance

AI may help with drafts, outlines or image generation. But:

Human review is mandatory before publish.
Humans verify facts, numbers, quotes and sources — model confidence is not enough.
No close paraphrase or copy of another site’s article.
Do not pass AI output off as an “interview” or “official statement”.

Context on helpful content: Google Search & AI-generated content.

9. Prohibited content

Banned	Why
Gambling / betting promotion	Reader harm and editorial red line
Adult sexual content	Outside site scope
Scams / phishing / deceptive offers	Trust and safety
Fabricated facts or quotes	Core verification failure
Hate or incitement to violence	Basic editorial ethics
Clickbait and sensational headlines	Breaks the brand promise

If ads go live, we will try to keep the same standard — see Terms and AdSense prohibited content.

10. Independence, conflicts and labelling

Editorial decisions are not rewritten under ad or sponsor pressure.
Sponsored/affiliate material will be labelled when it appears.
Relevant author/editor interests will be disclosed where practical.
We centre facts and sources rather than party talking points.

11. Bylines, updates and responsibility

Element	Practice
Byline	Author name/page when available — clear responsibility
Publish date	Shown on each post
Updates	Date and note when material changes
Content kind	Separated via meta: `guide` / `news` / `result` / `list`

12. Corrections and reader input

When we get something wrong, we verify and fix quickly. Process: Corrections Policy.

Email [email protected] with the page URL, the error and a reliable source.
Comments are off at launch; feedback comes by email.
We do not promise to publish every message; valid corrections get priority.

13. Copyright and others’ work

We write original copy. Short attributed quotations may appear; wholesale copying or scraping is banned. Rights notices: Copyright & DMCA.

14. Bilingual publishing

Field	Bangla	English
Title	`post_title`	`_sk_title_en`
Body	`post_content`	`_sk_content_en`
Excerpt / subtitle / key points	Primary fields	Matching `_sk_*_en`

English is a full twin — same facts, steps, warnings and links. Numbers and official URLs stay identical. Never append English into the Bangla body view.