Recently, a video depicting a clash was circulated on social media with the claim: “Hindus in Bangladesh are in danger”
View the post circulated on Instagram here (archive).
As of the publication of this report, the video in question has been viewed over 300,000 times and has garnered reactions from more than 4,000 separate accounts.
Fact-Check
An investigation by the Rumor Scanner team revealed that the circulated video does not depict a clash involving Hindus or any persecution of Hindus. Instead, the video is unrelated to the Hindu community. Rather, it depicts a conflict between two factions of the Tablighi Jamaat at the World Ijtema.
Upon examining the post associated with this claim, no detailed information or reliable evidence supporting the claim was found. Further investigation included a reverse image search on keyframes from the video, which traced back to a video on the Kaler Kantho YouTube channel. The video, titled “Tensions between Two Factions before the Start of the Ijtema, Two Tablighi Members Hospitalized”, was published on December 12, 2024.
A comparison of the opening scenes of the YouTube video with the circulated footage revealed notable similarities. The thumbnail of the YouTube video reads: “Attack on Sa’ad Followers’ Vehicle | Zubair Followers Block the Road.”
A keyword search revealed a report published on December 13 in the national daily Prothom Alo. The report stated:
“According to local sources, Zubair’s followers observed a five-day preparatory Ijtema at the Ijtema grounds from November 29 to December 3. Subsequently, Sa’ad’s followers announced a five-day preparatory Ijtema starting on December 20. However, Zubair’s followers declared they would not allow Sa’ad’s followers to hold the Ijtema on the grounds. On December 12, upon hearing that Sa’ad’s followers had entered the Ijtema grounds, Zubair’s followers began protesting and blocking the highway near Station Road around 1 PM. During this time, a vehicle belonging to Sa’ad’s followers was vandalized, and two Tablighi members from Sa’ad’s faction were injured.”
Read the archived report.
Additionally, multiple media sources reported on this conflict between two factions of the Tablighi Jamaat (source).
In other words, the conflict or vehicle attack shown in the circulated video has no connection to followers of the Hindu religion.
Conclusion
The clash between two factions of the Tablighi Jamaat at the World Ijtema has been falsely portrayed as a conflict involving Hindus or an attack on the Hindu community, which is entirely false.
Sources
- Kaler Kantho – Tensions between Two Factions before the Start of the Ijtema, Two Tablighi Members Hospitalized
- Prothom Alo – Attack Incident Leads to Sa’ad Followers’ Case, Zubair Followers Protest
- The Business Standard – Zubair Followers Attack Sa’ad Followers’ Vehicle over Tongi Preparatory Ijtema
