Muslim Man’s Mob Killing Falsely Portrayed as Hindu Man’s Murder

Recently, a video circulated on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), claiming that a Hindu man in Bangladesh was tied upside down to a tree and beaten to death in a medieval-style execution.

Watch the video circulated on X here (archive link).

Fact-Check

The Rumor Scanner team’s investigation revealed that the victim of this brutal murder was not a Hindu but a Muslim named Robiul Limon. On August 5 of the previous year, he was beaten to death by an agitated crowd in the House Building area of Uttara, after being suspected of being a Chhatra League member.

During the investigation, the Rumor Scanner team reviewed the video and identified a gate at the beginning of the footage bearing the inscription “Bangladesh House Building Finance Corporation Staff Quarters, Uttara, Dhaka.” A nameplate reading “Staff Quarters” was also visible next to the gate.

Screenshot Collage by Rumor Scanner 

Using details from the video, a Google Maps Street View search confirmed that the incident occurred near the gate of the Staff Quarters of the House Building Finance Corporation in Uttara, Dhaka. The tree seen in the video was also identified using Street View.

Location Comparison by Rumor Scanner 

Subsequent keyword searches uncovered a clearer version of the circulated video, posted on January 6 by a Facebook account named Bangabandhu Adarser Pratik. [Watch the video here].

Using keyframes from the video and reverse image searches, two other videos showing different angles of the incident were discovered. Watch these videos here and here. In both videos, the victim is identified as a Chhatra League member.

Screenshot Collage by Rumor Scanner 

Moreover, an individual from one of the videos was also visible in the circulated footage.

Video Comparison by Rumor Scanner 

Further keyword searches revealed a report on the Ajker Patrika website titled, “Man Shot Dead and Hung from a Tree in Uttara’s Sector 8,” published on August 5, 2024.

Screenshot: Ajker Patrika

The report stated that on the day of its publication, an unidentified youth accused of firing shots was beaten to death and hung from a tree near the Staff Quarters in Uttara’s Sector 8.

It was also reported that protestors accused the victim of being a Chhatra League member who had indiscriminately fired shots in the House Building area, injuring a child. The report further states, “After he ran out of bullets and tried to escape, students and others caught him and subjected him to mob beating. After his death, they tied his legs with a rope and hung him upside down.”

Based on these findings, another video titled “Chhatra League Beaten and Hung in Uttara BNS” was found, posted on August 5, 2024, by a Facebook account named Sohan Mahmud Joy.

Video Comparison by Rumor Scanner

In this video, an angry mob can be seen capturing an individual. Some claim he had a pistol. A comparative analysis of the victim’s face in this video and the circulated footage reveals similarities, including the presence of a beard.

Another video of the same incident, posted on the same day, was also found on the same Facebook account. Watch the video here.

Finally, a post published on August 7, 2024, by a Facebook account named Borkot Mollal (link) was uncovered during a keyword search.

Screenshot: Facebook 

The post mentions that Rabiul Limon, a cousin of the poster, was killed on August 5 of the previous year during a Victory Rally in Uttara. The rally took place in response to former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina leaving the country. During clashes between groups, the crowd accused Limon of being a Chhatra League activist and linked him to the murder of police officer Abu Sayed. They caught, beat, and hung him upside down from a tree in the House Building area. Limon’s Facebook profile (link) was also linked in the post. A comparison of photos from his profile with the victim confirmed they were the same individual.

Face Comparison by Rumor Scanner

Conclusion

The video of Robiul Limon, who was beaten to death on August 5 of the previous year and tied to a tree on suspicion of being a Chhatra League member, has been falsely portrayed as the killing of a Hindu individual in Bangladesh. This claim is misleading.

Sources

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