‘Persecution’ of Hindus in Bangladesh: Fake posts uncovered by BBC
BBC Bangla has verified many social media posts on "persecution" of Hindus in Bangladesh and many of those were found to be fake. Their teams also found many of the posts originated from India. We are reproducing an English version of the BBC Bangla analysis.
After Sheikh Hasina resigned as Prime Minister of Bangladesh, widespread violence ensued in the country. During this time, numerous fake posts circulated on social media in India, claiming that Hindus in Bangladesh were being subjected to severe persecution.
The BBC's fact-checking division, BBC Verify, investigated several posts that spread on social media. It found that while some attacks on minorities did occur after the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government, many of these attacks were exaggerated or fabricated.
On Saturday (10 August), the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council and the Bangladesh Puja Celebration Council claimed that 205 attacks on minority people occurred in 52 districts after Sheikh Hasina's fall.
However, it is difficult to independently verify whether these attacks were based on religious identity or anger against individuals close to the government.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Meanwhile, the Indian government has set up a special committee to ensure the safety of Hindus and other minorities, as well as Indian nationals living in Bangladesh.
Following the allegations of attacks on minorities in Bangladesh, the government is planning to launch a hotline on Sunday (11 August) to ensure the security of religious minorities in the country.
How Rumors Spread on Social Media
Many of the fake posts circulating on social media about "widespread persecution" of Hindus in Bangladesh were posted from various Indian accounts, according to fact-checkers.
However, some rumors were also spread on social media from within Bangladesh, as noted by the fact-checkers.
They also pointed out that while some attacks on Hindus did occur, houses were also vandalised and burned in Muslim communities.
Targeting Awami League, Not Hindus
In many cases, the attacks were targeted at Awami League leaders and supporters rather than at individuals based on their religious identity. In these instances, the political identity of the individuals often overshadowed their religious identity, leading to the attacks.
Some Awami League leaders and supporters from Bangladesh who fled to India or attempted to flee confirmed that both Hindu and Muslim Awami League leaders' homes were attacked.
However, fact-checkers believe that from India, these events were given a communal colour rather than being portrayed as politically motivated.
The BBC's fact-checking division, BBC Verify, reached a similar conclusion.
Protecting the Temple
Several viral posts claimed that Hindu temples were attacked. One such post caught the attention of a protester named Mr Moinul in Chittagong. When BBC Verify contacted him, he was guarding the "Shree Shree Sita Kali Mata Temple" near Chittagong.
Hours earlier, Sheikh Hasina had fled the country.
Mr Moinul said, "It is our responsibility to protect them. We will protect all government establishments, temples, churches—everything."
He added that the posts circulating online do not match the reality he witnessed.
"Those posts present a false image of Bangladesh to the world."
After the widespread violence and killings of protesters, it was not surprising that protesters and opposition members became enraged when Sheikh Hasina fled the country.
At that time, police were absent throughout Bangladesh as the police stations were attacked. Consequently, looting and violence began in the homes of Awami League leaders and supporters.
However, it was also observed that ordinary citizens were looted, and some were even victims of violence.
BBC Verify believes that the widespread violence created a sense of fear among the Hindu minority community.
Fake News Spread from India
During a chaotic situation, ultra-right-wing Indian influencers took advantage by sharing misleading videos that made it appear as though Hindus in Bangladesh were being persecuted.
Moreover, rumors were spread that student protesters were "Islamic extremists."
'Brandwatch,' an app that monitors social media, found that after 4 August, false stories were spread using a hashtag that was mentioned 700,000 times on social media platform 'X' (formerly Twitter).
It was also found that almost all the accounts from which these trending posts were made were located in India.
Bangladeshi-based fact-checkers also found similar information after analysing social media over the past few days, discovering that false information about attacks on Hindus was mainly spread from various Indian accounts.
The head of Fact Watch, an independent fact-checking initiative approved by the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB), Professor Suman Rahman, said, "Some incidents did occur where Hindu homes were attacked. However, in almost all cases, those individuals were associated with the Awami League."
"But a narrative has been created that suggests communal riots are happening in Bangladesh. This is a completely false narrative. Most of the accounts that spread this false information are based in India," he said.
Ridwanul Islam, a fact-checker from the Dhaka-based 'Dainik Aajker Patrika,' also mentioned that most of the false information was spread from Indian accounts.
"However, we have also found through our investigation that false information about attacks on Hindus was spread from within Bangladesh as well."
Fake News of Burning Hindu Homes and Temples
A post went viral on social media claiming that the house of 'Hindu cricketer' Liton Das was burned down.
Other accounts shared the post, claiming that extremist Islamists had set fire to his house.
However, it is now known that the house falsely claimed to have been burned belonged to former captain of the Bangladesh national team, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza.
Another viral post claimed that an "Islamic mob" attacked a temple in Bangladesh.
A video of a fire near the "Nabagraha Temple" in Chittagong was shared, but it was clear that the fire did not occur at the temple.
BBC Verify received pictures showing that the temple was not damaged. However, it seemed that an Awami League office behind the temple was the actual target.
Swapan Das, a temple official, told the BBC that the party office was ransacked, and chairs and tables were taken out and set on fire behind the temple on the afternoon of August 5th.
Several pictures taken after the fire showed that posters with pictures of Awami League leaders were also burned.
Mr Das also stated that people are guarding the temple around the clock.
Target: Awami League, Not Hindus
Two more viral posts contained misleading information, claiming that Hindus were attacked. But it was found that those who were attacked were actually Awami League leaders, and they were Muslims.
These posts were circulated from Indian right-wing accounts and later shared with the hashtag #SaveBangladeshiHindus from verified accounts of Hindutva supporters.
A recent video that went viral claimed that an "Islamic mob" attacked a Hindu village, and a Hindu man was seen swimming in a pond to escape. Indian fact-checkers found that the man was a Muslim.
Professor Suman Rahman of ULAB's Fact Watch said, "Recently, a story about the kidnapping of two women spread on social media. One incident took place in Dhaka, and the other in Noakhali. The incident in Dhaka was about a student performing traffic duty on the road for a long time. Her parents forcibly took her home."
Professor Rahman added, "That video was claimed to show that the student had been kidnapped. In the Noakhali incident, it was claimed that a Hindu woman was kidnapped for 'gang rape,' but the truth is that the woman was living with her parents after separating from her former husband. However, her husband, along with some friends, forcibly took her away. This was falsely portrayed as a 'kidnapping for gang rape of a Hindu woman.'"
Ridwanul Islam, a fact-checker from 'Dainik Aajker Patrika,' said, "Not only was misinformation spread on social media, but a few TV channels and portals also created news reports based on those social media rumors."
The TV channels and portals he mentioned are all known Hindutva media outlets.
The BBC also learned that not only in India and Bangladesh, but a well-known far-right influencer in the UK also spread such rumors.
This influencer, named Tommy Robinson, shared several unverified videos, claiming that "genocide of Hindus" was taking place in Bangladesh.
What Actions Are the Two Governments Taking?
In response to reports of widespread attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh, India's Home Minister Amit Shah formed a committee to ensure the safety of Indian nationals, Hindus, and other minorities in Bangladesh.
The committee is headed by Ravi Gandhi, the Additional Director General of the Eastern Command of the BSF. Other members include two IGs of the BSF's South Bengal and Tripura border regions and two representatives from the Land Port Authority.
Amit Shah wrote on X, "The Government of India has formed a special committee to ensure the safety of Hindus and other minorities, as well as Indian nationals living in Bangladesh."
"This committee will keep in touch with the authorities in Bangladesh to ensure the safety of Indian nationals, Hindus, and other minorities living there. The ADG of the Eastern Command of the BSF will head this committee," Amit Shah wrote.
One member of the committee told the BBC, "As the Home Minister mentioned in his tweet, if we receive information that someone is in trouble in Bangladesh, we will coordinate with our counterparts there, that is, the BGB, to resolve the issue. For example, on Friday, there was a problem in Shitalkuchi, Cooch Behar. Many people gathered on the other side of the border trying to enter India. We quickly coordinated with the BGB to have them return. But on Saturday, no one gathered in such a manner."
However, this has not been confirmed from Bangladesh.
Some videos posted from the Indian side show a gathering of people on the other side of the border. But there were no women or children among them.
And it could not be confirmed whether these individuals had gathered to cross the border or not.
Meanwhile, the interim government in Bangladesh is also taking steps to assist the Hindu community by launching a hotline from Sunday.
At a press conference on Saturday, AFM Khalid Hossain, an advisor to the Ministry of Religion in the interim government, announced this measure.
He stated that if any incidents of attacks or violence against minorities occur, people can report them through the hotline, and the authorities will take action through law enforcement agencies.
Commenting on the reports of attacks on religious minorities, Mr. Hossain said, "There are attempts to destabilize the government and disrupt religious harmony."
"Rumors are also being spread in connection with this," he added.
The advisor emphasized that the government is committed to maintaining religious harmony and goodwill at any cost.
"We Won't Fall into the Trap"
Outside the "Shree Shree Sita Kali Mata Temple" in Chittagong, Muslim and Hindu students were discussing harmony and the future.
"The purpose of spreading these rumors is to create chaos and foster discord between Hindus and Muslims," said Mr Moinul.
"But we won't fall into that trap," he asserted.
Another resident of the area, Chhoton, who regularly visits the temple, was expressing his gratitude to his Muslim neighbors.
"Thanks to them. As long as we get through this difficult time, I hope they continue to stand by us like this."
"In the independent Bangladesh of the future, I hope we can continue to live together like this," Chhoton said
