In June of this year, following a High Court ruling that declared the 2018 quota abolition notification invalid, political unrest in Bangladesh reached its peak. The verdict sparked widespread protests, conflicts, and violence, culminating in the resignation of Sheikh Hasina on August 5, marking the end of the long-standing Awami League government. In the aftermath, violence intensified across the country, including political clashes, looting, and attacks on religious minorities. This internal turmoil also strained India-Bangladesh relations, with allegations of minority persecution in Bangladesh provoking strong reactions in India. These tensions led to incidents such as the burning of the Bangladeshi national flag outside the Deputy High Commission in Kolkata and attacks on the Assistant High Commission in Agartala.
Amid this tense situation, an image went viral on social media showing a man wearing a Panjabi and a tupi (a traditional Islamic cap), holding the Bangladeshi national flag while stepping on the Indian national flag.
Some posts promoting this claim on X can be seen here (Archive), here (Archive), here (Archive), and here (Archive).
Posts shared on Facebook can be seen here (Archive).
Fact Check
Rumor Scanner’s investigation revealed that the viral image of a person stepping on India’s national flag is fake and was created using Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Using reverse image search, no credible sources could confirm the image’s authenticity. Rumor Scanner’s investigation found that the image was only circulating on social media. Typically, if such an incident were to occur, it would not only spread on social media but also be covered by national media outlets. For example, recent protests in Bangladesh involving Indian and Israeli flags drawn on the ground and walked upon were widely reported, with relevant photos and details published by leading national media (Example). However, in the case of this image, no such reports were found.
Tracing the origins of the claimed image, it was found to have first been shared on December 1 by an X account named “Voice of Bangladeshi Hindus.” The Rumor Scanner team has previously identified this account as a source of various rumors.
The Rumor Scanner team conducted a thorough analysis of the viral image, uncovering several inconsistencies: the right toe of the person appeared abnormally half-visible, a fold in the pajamas created an illusion of a dhoti, and the fabric folds on the red circle of Bangladesh’s flag appeared unnatural. Additionally, the reflections of light, shadows, and the expression in the person’s eyes seemed unusual. Such inconsistencies are typically found in AI-generated images.
After identifying these inconsistencies, AI detection websites were used to further verify the image. The results confirmed with up to 99% certainty that the image was generated using AI.
The deepfake detection platform Truemedia (View analysis) also found substantial evidence of manipulation in the image, confirming that it is a fake.
Conclusion
The image, which claims to show a person dressed in a Panjabi and topi, holding Bangladesh’s national flag and stepping on India’s national flag, was created using AI technology and is false.
Sources
- Rumor Scanner’s analysis.
- Truemedia
- Hive Moderation
