Minorities in Sunni Muslim-majority Bangladesh have encountered a string of attacks after long-time autocratic leader Sheikh Hasina was ousted in August 2024, but a video of a vandalised mosque shared on social media does not show the post-revolution tension. The clip first circulated in news reports in October 2024 about communal violence against Muslims in neighbouring India.
“Mosque of Murshidpur Darbar Sharif in Sherpur. Where is justice?” read a Bengali-language Facebook post published on November 28, 2024.
It also shared a 25-second video showing burnt objects scattered on the floor of a mosque.
Screenshot of the false post taken on January 5
The post circulated after Muslim hardliners attacked Murshidpur Darbar Sharif, a Muslim Sufi shrine in the Sherpur Sadar area in northern Bangladesh, on November 27, 2024 (archived links here and here).
The Sufi tradition is a branch of Islam regularly denounced as heretics and deviants by hardliners from the Sunni Muslim majority (archived link).
The attack on the shrine is part of a string of violence against religious minorities since a student-led uprising toppled long-time autocratic leader Sheikh Hasina in August 2024 (archived link).
In the chaotic days following her ouster, Hindus — seen by some as having backed Hasina — as well as Muslim Sufi shrines have been targeted by Islamist hardliners.Â
The same video was shared elsewhere on Facebook here and here with similar claims.
But the clip was actually filmed in India.
Mosque in India
A reverse image search on Google found a longer version of the video from an Instagram post on October 9, 2024 (archived link).
Its caption said that it showed the aftermath of an attack on a mosque at Kadamtala Bazaar in the northeastern Indian state of Tripura.
Below is a screenshot comparison of the video shared in the false post (left) and on Instagram (right):
Screenshot comparison of the video shared in the false post (left) and on Instagram (right)
Further keyword search found a news report along with a photo showing a similar scene published by Indian media organisation The Siasat Daily (archived link).
It said a Muslim man was killed, while a mosque and several shops were looted, vandalised and torched during communal clashes in Tripura’s Kadamtala area on October 7, 2024.
The article went on to say the clashes started when a Hindu club “pressured” Muslims in the area to donate to a Hindu festival.
Indian media outlet Millat Times also included photos of the vandalised mosque in its video report published on October 11, 2024 (archived link).Â
Google Street View imagery matched the features of the mosque and its surrounding area seen in the false post (archived link).
Below is a screenshot comparison of the video shared in the false post (left) and Google Street View imagery (right) with similarities highlighted by AFP:
Screenshot comparison of the video shared in the false post (left) and Google Street View imagery (right) with similarities highlighted by AFP
AFP has debunked other false claims related to violence against minorities in Bangladesh following Hasina’s ouster here and here.
