Photo showing president bowing to Zaima Rahman is edited
A photo circulating on social media claims that Bangladesh President Md. Shahabuddin bowed twice to Zaima Rahman, daughter of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. But a Dismislab fact-check finds the claim to be false. The image has been digitally altered.
A Facebook page named “RTNews24” uploaded the photo with this claim. At the time of writing, the post had been shared more than 1,500 times, received over 40,000 reactions, and drawn more than 3,000 comments.
Reverse image searches revealed several news reports (1, 2, 3, 4) containing photos from the same event, showing similar backgrounds and framing. These reports state that Zaima Rahman received the “Best Indomitable Woman” award (posthumous) on behalf of her grandmother, former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, from President Md. Shahabuddin. While the photos match the setting and positioning, none show the president bowing to her as the viral image suggests.
Further verification found multiple videos (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) of the award ceremony published by various news outlets on their YouTube channels. Although the backgrounds and framing match the viral image, none of the footage shows the president bowing. Instead, moments before presenting the award, President Shahabuddin is seen raising his hand in greeting twice.
Fact-checking organization Factwatch also published a report analyzing the image. Using several image‑verification tools, it concluded that the president’s posture in the viral photo had been manipulated.
In short, the photo claiming to show President Shahabuddin bowing to Zaima Rahman has been digitally edited.
March 8, 2026, as part of the 2026 International Women’s Day observance, Zaima Rahman accepted the award on behalf of her grandmother. Khaleda Zia was honored posthumously with the “Best Indomitable Woman” title for her contributions to the restoration and advancement of democracy.
