In the wake of political upheaval in Bangladesh following the removal of long-time leader Sheikh Hasina in August 2024, minorities have faced a surge of targeted violence. However, a widely circulated video depicting a vandalized mosque is falsely linked to this post-revolution tension. The footage, shared on social media, is actually from India and unrelated to the recent events in Bangladesh.
The video initially surfaced in October 2024, amid reports of communal violence targeting Muslims in India. A Bengali-language Facebook post from November 28, 2024, claimed, “Mosque of Murshidpur Darbar Sharif in Sherpur. Where is justice?” Accompanying the post was a 25-second clip showing debris and burnt objects scattered across a mosque floor.
This claim followed a reported attack on the Murshidpur Darbar Sharif, a prominent Sufi shrine located in Sherpur Sadar, northern Bangladesh. The attack occurred on November 27, 2024, carried out by hardline Sunni groups, who often denounce the Sufi tradition as heretical. This incident is part of a broader pattern of violence against religious minorities in the country. Following Sheikh Hasina’s ouster, both Hindu communities—perceived as her supporters—and Sufi shrines have been targeted.
Despite these incidents, the video in question does not depict the Murshidpur shrine or any events in Bangladesh.
Footage Origin: India
A reverse image search traced the video to an Instagram post from October 9, 2024. The caption indicated that it was filmed after an attack on a mosque in Kadamtala Bazaar, Tripura, a northeastern state in India.
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Further investigations revealed news reports from Indian outlets such as The Siasat Daily, which confirmed the video showed the aftermath of communal clashes in Kadamtala on October 7, 2024. The violence erupted when a Hindu organization allegedly pressured local Muslims to contribute to a Hindu festival. During the clashes, a Muslim man was killed, and a mosque, along with several shops, was vandalized and set ablaze.
Photos published by Indian media, including Millat Times, corroborated the scene shown in the video. A comparison between the video and Google Street View imagery also confirmed the mosque’s location in Kadamtala, Tripura, matching its architectural features and surroundings.
Conclusion
While the video has been misrepresented to imply a connection to ongoing tensions in Bangladesh, it is critical to note that the footage actually documents an incident in India. This highlights the dangers of misinformation, especially in times of heightened communal sensitivity. Accurate reporting and verification remain essential in combating the spread of false narratives.
