Claims of fatalities or abductions in Chattogram clash is not true

Recently, a misleading post on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) alleged that a joint forces operation in Chattogram resulted in the deaths and injuries of over 50 Hindus, along with the abduction of at least six Hindu women by Islamist extremists. However, verification reveals that there are no verified reports of fatalities or abductions related to the incident in Chattogram. Moreover, there is no evidence of involvement from Jamaat-e-Islami or other Islamist groups in this clash.

A verified profile under the name ‘Baba Banaras’ on X shared three videos and one image on November 6, claiming, “Heartbreaking 💔 Over 50 Hindus killed & injured in joint attack by Bangladesh Army & terrorists of Jamaat-e-Islami in Chattogram, Bangladesh. At least 6 Hindu women & girls are kidnapped by Radical Islamists.” #SaveBangladeshiHindus was included in the post. On Facebook, the video went viral with a similar claim.

The post has garnered significant attention, with nearly 55,000 views, around 4,000 reactions, over 3,000 reposts, and nearly 300 comments. Among the responses, one user commented, “The situation has become very difficult for Hindus in Bangladesh. The world community and India should listen to the atrocities committed against them. Oppression of minorities is not right.” Another user questioned the authenticity of the incident, calling it fake news and asking, “No one was killed! Stop spreading fake news. Can you show the source of the incident?” 

Dismislab conducted a reverse image and keyword search to verify the incident. A video report from mainstream media closely matches one of the clips of the post. The second video in the post is similar to the video report from Jamuna Television, starting from the 2-minute mark. Other videos posted on X were found on Facebook (1, 2) prior to the alleged incident. A still image from the video also resembles a scene shown at the 40-second mark of this media coverage.

According to the description of a YouTube video by Jamuna Television, violence in Chattogram’s Hazari Goli area erupted on November 5 over a Facebook post. A Muslim businessman’s post, which was critical of the Hindu religious organization ISKCON, led to the clash. When some protesters confined the businessman, joint forces were attacked while attempting to rescue him, resulting in injuries to 13 members of the police and army. In response, the joint forces conducted an overnight operation, arresting 82 individuals. Multiple mainstream (1, 2, 3, 4) news outlets reported the incident but did not mention any deaths or abductions.

In a search for further details, Dismislab found consistent reports (1, 2) from media sources indicating that a businessman named Osman Ali had shared another user’s Facebook post about ISKCON, sparking the unrest. Protesters attacked his shop in the Mia Shopping Center in Hazari Goli. When joint forces intervened, a clash ensued, injuring 12 personnel from the police and army. Although 82 were initially detained, only 49 were formally arrested after screening.  

The media reports mentioned injuries among joint forces members but did not mention any harm to ISKCON supporters. To verify these claims, Dismislab contacted Swatantra Gouranga Das, coordinator of the Bangladesh Sanatan Jagran Manch, who confirmed that the reported death toll was completely false, stating, “I have not received any information on deaths in the Hazari Goli clash so far.” And while providing further details, he stated that initially, there was an attack on the joint forces, following which they conducted an operation at night. During the operation, indiscriminate attacks were carried out on the local Hindus. As a result, ordinary Hindus were also injured along with the actual culprits. According to him, about 45 Hindus were injured. He also mentioned that Jamaat-e-Islami had no involvement in the incident.

Dismislab also reached out to two journalists in Chattogram. Jobaer Chowdhury, from The Business Standard remarked, “The information that has spread, is completely false. No one has died in this incident. There is no involvement of Jamaat-e-Islami or any other political party here.” A similar statement was echoed by a correspondent from Banglanews24.

For further verification, Dismislab contacted Lieutenant Colonel Ferdous Ahmed, spokesperson for Task Force-4 of the joint forces, who stated that the circulated information was entirely false. He affirmed that “No one has died in this incident. Twelve members of the joint forces were injured, and those involved were not from Jamaat or any political group but were criminals.”

Therefore, even if the videos circulating about Chattogram’s recent clashes are genuine, the claims of deaths or abductions are baseless. The incident did not result in any fatalities.