Social media posts falsely label Shosti Chandra Barman as a ‘Muslim infiltrator’

A video has recently circulated on the social media platform X with the claim that the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) thwarted an attempt by the Border Security Force (BSF) of India to forcefully deport (“push in”) a “Muslim infiltrator” at the zero line of the border into Bangladesh. However, a fact-check by Dismislab reveals that the individual in the video belongs to the Hindu community. According to reports published in multiple media outlets, the individual, named Shosti Chandra Barman, is a Bangladeshi citizen. He was mentally unstable and had gone missing from his home in Rajshahi approximately two months ago.

The video was posted from a verified X account named ‘Hindu Voice’ on June 11. In the 2-minute 26-second video, BGB is seen questioning an elderly man standing in the ‘no man’s land’. The individual is giving indistinct answers to those questions. On the other hand, a heated exchange of words is taking place between BGB and BSF regarding him. Translating the caption’s text into English, the meaning stands as: “A scene from the India-Bangladesh International Border… Yesterday, Bangladesh’s BGB wanted to thwart an attempt by BSF to push back a Bangladeshi Muslim infiltrator. As Bangladesh refused to accept him, the man is now sitting in no-man’s land.” (language unaltered)

Up until the writing of this report, the video has been viewed more than 118,000 times and reposted 375 times. Approximately 2,400 users reacted to the video.

To verify the authenticity, Dismislab conducted a reverse image search using multiple keyframes from the video. The verification led to a report published by the media outlet Jugantor. The headline of the report read, “Who is this elderly man amidst the argument between BGB and BSF at the border?” The people in the image used in the report share an exact resemblance to those in the circulating post.

To be more certain about this matter, a search with multiple keywords led to reports published in several media outlets (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) . According to a report published in Prothom Alo, the home of the elderly man named Shosti Chandra Barman is in Chandlai village in Godagari upazila in Rajshahi. He was suffering from mental health issues. He had gone missing from his home approximately two months ago, and could not be found since then. Family members stated that they recognized him after seeing the border video that had circulated on social media. Subsequently, the family contacted the BGB and received Shosti Chandra Barman back.

The report further states, Bakshiganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mokbul Hossain said that the elderly man’s younger brother Bhabani Chandra Barman, son-in-law Gour Chandra Barman, and nephew Atish Chandra Barman had come to the police station. Following the completion of all legal procedures, he was handed over to his family in the presence of BGB, police personnel, and media workers.

Therefore, misinformation is being spread on social media by claiming that the elderly man is a Muslim infiltrator.