More Disinformation on Communal Violence in Bangladesh Spread on Twitter
After the Awami League government was ousted on August 5 due to the quota reform movement, there were reports of attacks and arson on the homes, businesses, and offices of government party leaders in various parts of Bangladesh, in addition to various police stations and outposts. Minority communities, including their homes, shops, and places of worship, were also attacked in different regions of the country. However, on social media, particularly on X (formerly Twitter), many images and videos unrelated to these communal attacks are being circulated. Hashtags such as #SaveBangladeshiHindus, #HindusAreNotSafeInBangladesh, and #AllEyesOnBangladeshiHindus are being added to these posts. In this report, Dismislab highlights some of these incidents, while it has published another report addressing further false claims of attacks and persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh.
The Video of Being Thrown from the Roof is Not of a Hindu Hostel
On August 7, multiple accounts on X (formerly Twitter) (1, 2, 3) shared a video claiming that Jamaat-e-Islami had attacked a Hindu hostel in Dhaka, with students seen clinging to the cornice to save their lives.
However, upon verification, it was found that the video is not recent and is unrelated to any Hindu hostel. The incident actually took place on July 16 in the Muradpur area of Chittagong city. According to media reports (1, 2, 3), BCL (Bangladesh Chhatra League) activists took shelter on the roof of a building during a clash with quota reform activists. The agitators then climbed onto the roof and threw the BCL workers off. Many attempted to escape by climbing down the building’s water pipes and cornices, but were met with stones being hurled at them, causing some to fall. A case was later filed in connection with this incident. Therefore, it can be confirmed that the video is not associated with any Hindu hostel in Dhaka.
Chandpur UP Chairman Salim Khan Was the Victim of a Lynching
Several accounts on X (formerly Twitter) (1, 2, 3, 4) shared a video showing a man being brutally beaten by an agitated mob, falsely claiming that the victim was Hindu. Upon verification, it was revealed that the video actually shows Lakshmipur Union Parishad Chairman Salim Khan of Chandpur Sadar Upazila in Bangladesh.
A verified New York City-based account named Amy Mek posted the video, writing, “The Horrific Reality in Bangladesh: A Genocide of Hindus: To all the Hindus sending me the ISIS-level videos from Bangladesh, I am horrified. The atrocities are so extreme that I cannot even post most of them.” Another account, under the name Anchal Yadav, claimed, “Peacemakers are torturing and killing Hindus.” However, in the comments section of Anchal Yadav’s post, a user clarified the situation by sharing news of the deaths of Salim Khan and his son, Shanto Khan, and wrote, “This is Chandpur union chairman Salim Khan. His son was also killed.”
Indian journalist Sumit Chaudhary also shared the video on X on the night of August 6, stating, “Balu Khoka Salim Chairman of Chandpur, leader of Chhatra League, was #Brutally killed by an agitated crowd in #BANGLADESH”.
Abdus Salam, news editor of Chandpur Times, a local media outlet in Chandpur, confirmed to Dismislab that the video indeed depicted Salim Khan, Chairman of Laxmipur Union Parishad (UP) of Chandpur Sadar Upazila.
According to media reports, Salim Khan and his son Shanto Khan attempted to escape their village home on a motorcycle on the evening of August 5. They were intercepted by an angry crowd in the Bagrabazar area. Salim Khan fired several rounds from his pistol in an attempt to defend themselves. However, the enraged mob overpowered them, leading to their deaths. The bodies of both men remained at the scene for 12 hours after the incident.
The Video of Women Tied to Pillars is Not Related to Hindu Torture
A video showing two women tied to the pillars of a building has been circulated on X (formerly Twitter) (1, 2, 3), with multiple posts falsely claiming that “Muslim women are tying up Hindu women.” However, this video is not connected to any communal conflict or violence.
Verification reveals that the incident in the video occurred on July 17 at Begum Badrunnessa Government Women’s College in Dhaka. According to media reports (1, 2), the two women tied to the pillars were actually BCL (Bangladesh Chhatra League) activists. Numerous related videos can also be found on Facebook (1, 2, 3), where some users falsely claimed that Hindu female students were being tortured for religious reasons.
It is important to note that during the quota reform movement, there were clashes between protesting students and BCL leaders and activists in various educational institutions across the country. On July 17, rooms occupied by BCL leaders and activists were attacked and vandalized (1, 2, 3) in several universities.
False Claims of a Temple Being Set on Fire at Satkhira Restaurant
Following the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, incidents of vandalism and arson were reported in various parts of Bangladesh. One such incident involved a restaurant in Satkhira named Raj Palace Coffee Shop and Restaurant. A video of the building being set on fire was shared on X (formerly Twitter), with claims that a temple was being burned down. However, media reports clarified that the building in question was not a temple but a restaurant owned by Kazi Asaduzzaman Shahzadar, the former vice chairman of Kalaroa Upazila and president of the Upazila Jubo League. A fact-check report was also published to debunk this false claim.
Spreading misinformation with screenshots of media reports
An X account post named Voice of Bangladeshi Hindus spread misinformation with a screenshot of a news story. The headline of the news published in daily Prothom Alo on August 6 was, “14 killed including 5 relatives of Awami League leader in Satkhira”. X’s post claimed that 7 of the 14 people killed were Hindus. But the Prothom Alor report identified the dead and wrote, “Among the dead are Zakir Hossain, president of Pratapnagar Union Awami League of Asashuni Upazila of the district and resident of Kalyanpur village, his brother Jahangir Hossain, nephew Sajib Hossain, brother Ashikur Rahman, relative Saker Ali and driver Shahin.” Hussain. Apart from this, Adam Ali (28) of Kalyanpur village of Asashuni police station, Anaz Billah (17) of Kola village and Anaz Ali (18) of Kurikaunia village, Awami League activist Asafur Rahman (40) of Baikari village of Sadar upazila, Tauhid Islam (30) of Mrigadanga village, Saiful Islam (25), BNP workers Zahid Hossain (28) and Farooq Hossain (35) were killed.”
The names of the 7 Hindu persons mentioned as dead in X’s post are also found in Prothom Alo’s report. But none of them were killed. The report names 31 individuals whose homes, businesses and offices were vandalized, looted or set on fire. Among those 31 persons, the names of these seven Hindu persons are found.
Identity Not Confirmed, But Claimed to Be Hindu
A video (1, 2) circulating on X (formerly Twitter) shows two dead bodies hanging from an overbridge, with claims that the victims were named Raju Das and Bayram Goril. Upon closer examination of the video, it can be seen that the building behind the scene bears the inscription ‘Baipail Central Jame Masjid,’ indicating that the location is in the Baipail area of Ashulia, Savar, Dhaka.
Upon verification with media reports from The Daily Star and Dainik Inqilab, it was found that the two individuals were killed during day-long clashes between protesters and police in Savar, Ashulia, and Dhamrai on August 5. However, their identities remain unknown. The Daily Star reported, “Two dead bodies were hanging on the Nabinagar-Chandra highway overbridge in Baipail area under Ashulia police station in Dhaka overnight. The bodies were brought down on Tuesday morning (August 6). Locals believe that the bodies could be those of two policemen.” Similarly, Dainik Inqilab stated, “On Tuesday morning, witnesses found the bodies of two people hanging upside down on the railing of the foot overbridge near Baipail in Ashulia. However, their identities are still unknown.”
Therefore, the videos and pictures are indeed from the Baipail area of Ashulia, Dhaka. The bodies were found hanging from the bridge after being killed during the clashes on August 5. Despite claims made on social media, the identities of the deceased have not been confirmed as of yet.
