Staff Reporter :
The BBC’s fact-checking division, BBC Verify, has exposed numerous fake posts circulating on social media in India, falsely claiming severe persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh following the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The misinformation emerged amid widespread violence across Bangladesh after Hasina’s departure, with many fake posts gaining traction on social media, the BBC reports.
The fact-checking team investigated several posts and found that, while some attacks on minorities did occur, many reports were exaggerated or fabricated.
According to the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council and the Bangladesh Puja Celebration Council, 205 attacks on minority individuals occurred across 52 districts following Hasina’s fall.
However, verifying whether these attacks were motivated by religious identity or political retaliation remains challenging.
BBC Verify discovered that most of the misleading posts about widespread attacks on Hindus were disseminated from various Indian accounts.
Additionally, misinformation was also spread from within Bangladesh.
The BBC team noted that while some attacks on Hindus did occur, there were also instances of vandalism and arson in Muslim communities, largely driven by political revenge rather than religious animosity.
Many of these incidents targeted Awami League leaders and supporters, reflecting political rather than religious motives.
Awami League leaders and supporters who fled Bangladesh or attempted to do so reported that both Hindu and Muslim Awami League leaders’ homes were attacked during the recent unrest.
Despite this, the narrative from India portrayed these events as communal rather than politically motivated.
Moinul, a protester guarding the Shree Shree Sita Kali Mata Temple near Chattogram, told the BBC, “It is our responsibility to protect minorities.
We will safeguard all government establishments, temples, and churches.” Moinul expressed disappointment with the online posts, stating they presented a misleading image of Bangladesh.
Despite the violence and the absence of police forces, which led to looting and attacks on Awami League supporters, Moinul and other locals have been working to protect their communities.
The BBC found that many viral posts claiming attacks on Hindu temples were inaccurate.
For example, a video of a fire near the Nabagraha Temple in Chattogram did not show damage to the temple itself but rather targeted an Awami League office behind it.
Swapan Das, a temple official, confirmed that the Awami League office was vandalised and set ablaze, with temple security maintained around the clock.
Additional viral posts that claimed attacks on Hindus were found to be false.
For instance, a post alleging an attack on the house of cricketer Liton Das actually involved former captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza.
Another post wrongly claimed that an Islamic mob attacked a temple, while the fire was set at an Awami League office.
Professor Suman Rahman of ULAB’s Fact Watch stated, “While some attacks on Hindu homes did occur, they were often politically motivated, targeting individuals associated with the Awami League rather than being driven by religious hatred.”
Ridwanul Islam, a fact-checker from Dhaka-based Dainik Aajker Patrika, also noted that false information about attacks on Hindus was primarily spread from Indian accounts, with additional misinformation circulating from within Bangladesh.
A video that went viral, showing a Hindu man escaping a mob, was actually of a Muslim individual.
Professor Rahman clarified that many false reports, including the kidnapping of two women, were misrepresented on social media.
The interim government in Bangladesh is responding by launching a hotline to report any attacks or violence against minorities.
AFM Khalid Hossain, an advisor to the Ministry of Religion, announced this measure, emphasising the government’s commitment to protecting religious harmony.
Hossain remarked, “There are attempts to destabilise the government and disrupt religious harmony.
We will take action through law enforcement agencies to address any incidents.”
Moinul and local residents, including Chhoton, expressed their commitment to maintaining communal harmony despite attempts to sow discord.
“The purpose of spreading these rumours is to create chaos, but we will not be deceived,” Moinul asserted. Chhoton added, “I hope we can continue to live together in the future as we do now.”