Video claiming vandalism at puja venues actually show man being arrested in murder case
A video showing the arrest of a bearded man wearing a skull cap has been circulating on social media with claims that he vandalized Durga Puja pavilions and temples. However, Dismislab’s fact-check found the claim to be false. The man in the video is Fazlul Haque Amini, the prime accused in the murder of a young man in Satkhira. His arrest has no connection to the vandalism of any Puja pavilion or temple.
On October 19, an account on X named Jitendra pratap singh posted the 1-minute-48-second video. The video shows law enforcement personnel arresting a bearded man wearing a skull cap. In response to a question, he is heard saying that although he is a criminal under state law, he does not consider himself a criminal in the eyes of Allah.
The post reads, “This Muslim man vandalized a Durga Puja pandal and a Hindu temple in Bangladesh. He has been arrested. Shamelessly, while laughing, he tells a journalist that although he may be a criminal in the eyes of the law, he is not a sinner in the eyes of Allah. In reality, they are taught from childhood that Hindus, Christians, and Jews are ‘kafirs’ (infidels). And that destroying their temples—their places of worship—is not a sin in the eyes of Allah.’’
Until the publication of this report, the video had been viewed nearly 180,000 times and reposted around 850 times.
The video was also posted by several other X accounts (1, 2, 3).
A reverse image search using keyframes from the video led to a video published on the NPB News YouTube channel on October 18. Its title reads, “The widely discussed Shamim murder case; prime accused states his position.” Several people, their clothing and the surrounding scenes in the first 18 seconds of the 48-second video match those in the footage circulating on social media.
A search also found several news reports (1, 2, 3) about the incident. A report published by the online edition of Jugantor under the headline “I am a criminal in the eyes of the law, but I am not remorseful: Amini” said that Fazlul Haque Amini, the prime accused in the case over the beating death of Wahiduzzaman Shamim, 38, in Debhata, Satkhira, had said, “I am a criminal in the eyes of the law, but I am not remorseful.” The report stated that Amini was handed over to police after being arrested in Kaliganj upazila and was sent to a Satkhira court on October 18. Amini made the remark in response to questions from journalists while being taken to court.
It is worth noting that on October 13, Wahiduzzaman Shamim was beaten by a mob twice in Debhata over allegations of insulting Islam. He later died.
In other words, social media posts are spreading misleading claims by presenting a video of the arrest of the prime accused in the case over the beating death of a young man in Satkhira as footage of the vandalism of Durga Puja pavilions and temples.
