Rumor Scanner debunks video claiming militancy emergence in BD

FE Team | Published: December 20, 2024 23:59:12

Fact-checking organization Rumor Scanner in an investigation found that a video on a performance of students at an annual competition in Jashore Jamia Islamia Madrasa was falsified as rise of militancy, gatherings or calls for jihad in Bangladesh, reports BSS.
It said the video of a competition at the Jamia Islamia Madrasa in Jashore is being claimed as a campaign for militancy in Bangladesh; which is misleading.
In a report published on its website on Thursday, the fact-checking body said a video was recently circulated on social media where a person is seen giving a sermon in Arabic with his face covered with a cloth and two other people in black attires are standing on either side of him with weapon-like objects covering their faces.
The video is being circulated claiming that militancy has risen in Bangladesh and that a call for jihad has been made.
The investigation of the Rumor Scanner Team debunked that the "video circulated has no connection with the rise of militancy, gatherings or calls for jihad in Bangladesh. In fact, it is a scene of a performance by students at the annual competition and award ceremony of a madrasa named Jashore Jamia Islamia".
Ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina's son Sajeeb Wazed Joy posted the video on his verified Facebook account and X (formerly Twitter) account claiming that the people shown in the video are propagating extremism or militants in the guise of IS.
Sajeeb Wazed's post was also shared from the verified Facebook page of Bangladesh Awami League and the Facebook account of former Dhaka University Chhatra League president Sanjit Chandra Das.
Writer Taslima Nasrin also posted the video on her Facebook account, claiming that the video calls for jihad.
In addition, the video was circulated by the West Bengal media including Republic Bangla, TV9 Bangla, claiming that the video showed a meeting of militants with weapons and a call for jihad in Bangladesh.
In the investigation of this matter, observing the video circulated, the banner at the back of the stage reads 'Jashore Jamia Islamia', the team found that a video was circulated on December 17 from a Facebook account named 'HM Abdullah Jashore' , which appears to be the first version of this video circulated on Facebook.
The caption of the video says, "Jashore Jamia Islamia Annual Competition and Award Ceremony -2024, Arabic speech, please watch everyone".
While observing the bio of the said Facebook account, it is known that the account holder has mentioned himself as the Assistant Head of the Hefz Department of Jashore Jamia Islamia Madrasa. The Facebook page of Jashore Jamia Islamia can also be found from the same Facebook account.
On seeing the Facebook page, it is also exposed that the founder and Director General of the madrasa, Mufti Lutfur Rahman Farooqui, explained the issue in a Facebook live yesterday (December 18).