On the afternoon of November 25, Detective Police arrested Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilito Sanatani Jagaran Jote (United Sanatan Awakening Alliance) and principal of Pundarik Dham, at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. The arrest was based on a sedition case related to desecrating the national flag. On November 26, when Chinmoy was presented before Chattogram’s Sixth Metropolitan Magistrate, Kazi Shariful Islam (source), the court denied bail. Following the bail denial, tensions escalated within the court premises. As Chinmoy was placed in a prison van to be transported to jail, his followers blocked the vehicle and began protesting. The protest was dispersed when police and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) used batons and sound grenades. A group of lawyers also joined law enforcement in dispersing the protesters, leading to violent clashes. During the conflict, a lawyer named Saiful Islam, also known as Alif, was fatally stabbed.

Chinmoy Krishna Das’s arrest and the subsequent clashes, including the lawyer’s murder, sparked widespread dissemination of false information on social media. An investigation by Rumor Scanner identified at least eight fake photocards bearing media logos that were circulated about the issue. Prominent among these were false claims that Chinmoy had voluntarily surrendered, was involved in child molestation, and had confessed to the Detective Police. Another baseless rumor alleged that the murdered lawyer, Saiful Islam, was Chinmoy Krishna Das’s legal representative. These rumors extended beyond social media, with some Indian media outlets and international agencies, including Reuters, Voice of America, and Arab News, also spreading misinformation about the incident.

Shortly after the news of Chinmoy Krishna Das’s arrest broke, two photocards with the logos of RTV and Jamuna TV (source) went viral on social media, claiming that he had voluntarily surrendered. However, neither of the media outlets reported such information. Investigations revealed that the photocards were fabricated.

The following day, on the morning of November 26, Chinmoy Krishna Das was presented in a Chattogram court (source). Around the same time, another fake photocard bearing Channel 24’s logo (source) began circulating, alleging that Chinmoy had been arrested for child molestation and delivering provocative speeches. However, Channel 24 did not publish any such report or photocard (source).

A video allegedly depicting Chinmoy Krishna Das engaging in violence against women went viral. However, an investigation(source) by Rumor Scanner revealed that the video actually features an Indian religious leader named “Baba Balaknath” and has no connection to Chinmoy Krishna Das.

During the court hearing involving Chinmoy Krishna, another claim spread widely on social media. This claim alleged that Chinmoy had confessed during DB interrogation, stating: “If Sheikh Hasina can be brought back to power, we will be given Chattogram,” and “I am innocent; I only said what I was compelled to say.” Separate photocards with the logos of DBC (source) and Channel 24 (source) were shared to bolster this narrative. However, investigations confirmed that these photocards were also fake (source).

Chaos at the Court: Protest, Clashes, and Misinformation Surrounding Saiful Islam’s Death

After the court denied Chinmoy Krishna Das’s bail application, he was placed in a prison van for transportation to jail. At this point, his followers obstructed the van and initiated protests. To control the situation, law enforcement deployed sound grenades, tear gas, and batons. During the clashes, lawyer Saiful Islam, known as Alif (35), lost his life (source). Eyewitnesses reported that he was fatally attacked with sharp weapons by protesters. The incident triggered widespread reactions across the country and led to the proliferation of various rumors on social media.

One of the rumors circulating on social media was that members of the Hindu community also suffered casualties during the clashes, with posts alleging varying numbers of deaths (1, 2). However, reliable sources have confirmed that Saiful Islam was the sole fatality in the incident, and no other deaths occurred.

Amidst these claims, screenshots of two Facebook posts by a man named Probir Chandra Paul were widely shared (source). In one post, Probir wrote: “All Sanatani advocates have decided the hearing must take place today! Otherwise, they will not let Session Judge Saiful Islam leave the court.” However, the Saiful Islam mentioned in the post (source) is not the same person as the slain lawyer. The post refers to Saiful Islam, a Chattogram Metropolitan Session Judge (source), while the deceased Saiful Islam was a normal lawyer in the Chattogram court.

Comparison: Rumor Scanner.

Furthermore, numerous users on X (formerly Twitter) from India and some media outlets (source) falsely claimed that the deceased lawyer Saiful Islam Alif was Chinmoy Krishna Das’s legal representative and was killed because of his role in defending Chinmoy. Even Reuters published a report citing Chattogram police officer Liakat Ali as saying this. However, this claim is entirely false. Chinmoy Krishna Das’s actual lawyer is Subhashish Sharma (source). This is evident from the vakalatnama (Power of Attorney) submitted on behalf of Chinmoy Krishna Das in the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court, as well as earlier media reports published before Saiful Islam’s murder.

Meanwhile, another rumor spread on social media claimed that five individuals were arrested based on CCTV footage of Saiful Islam Alif’s murder (1, 2). According to these posts, four of the arrested individuals were members of Islami Chhatra Shibir, and one was a coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement. However, Chattogram Metropolitan Police spokesperson Deputy Commissioner Md. Rois Uddin told Rumor Scanner: “We have no such information.” Rumor Scanner’s investigation further revealed that this false claim originated from a report by a fake portal named SadhinBangladeshNews (source). This portal has a history of spreading misinformation (source).

The verified Facebook page of the Chief Adviser of the interim government announced (source) that Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) has identified at least six suspects in the murder of lawyer Saiful Islam Alif through CCTV footage. Additionally, CMP detained 21 individuals for vandalism and attacking the police during the clashes. CMP spokesperson Deputy Commissioner Md. Rois Uddin informed Rumor Scanner that seven individuals have been detained so far in connection with Saiful Islam Alif’s murder, based on video evidence. However, their political affiliations remain unclear, and interrogation is ongoing.

Two viral photo cards featuring ISKCON member Probir Chandra Paul’s name further fueled rumors (1, 2). These photocards, bearing the logos of Somoy TV and Channel 24, falsely claimed that Probir posted: “If our leader is not freed, there will be more deaths; 30 million Sanatanis will take to the streets” and “If ISKCON is banned, India will ban all of Bangladesh.” However, these claims are entirely fabricated. Probir Chandra Paul did not make such statements, and neither Somoy TV nor Channel 24 published any such photocards. Fake photocards were created using media logos to propagate this misinformation.

Amid the unrest surrounding Chinmoy Krishna Das’s bail issue, West Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari shared a video on X (source), alleging persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh. However, the video depicts a clash among students from three colleges in Dhaka (source) and has no connection to any incidents of Hindu persecution.

Another false claim spread on social media alleged that Chinmoy Krishna Das is a prominent member of the LGBTQ+ community. A viral photocard (source) with the logo of Somoy TV, citing Indian media outlet Republic Bangla. Verification revealed that neither Republic Bangla (source) nor Somoy TV (source) published such information or any related photocard.