Fact checking body Rumor Scanner in an investigation debunked a video circulated on social media and Indian media claiming that a Hindu house in Bishnupur, Bagerhat was set on fire, reports BSS.
In a report published on its website on Friday, it said the video was circulated on X claiming that ‘Muslims set fire to Hindu houses’, and on Facebook claiming that ‘Hindu villages in Bagerhat were set on fire’.
In addition, Indian media outlet News18 Bangla, citing X Post, circulated the same video and claimed in their news that minorities were affected by the conflict between the two sides of BNP.
The investigation of the Rumor Scanner team revealed that the circulated video is not a scene of arson in the houses of Hindus in Bishnupur, Bagerhat, but rather a scene of arson in the houses due to the dispute between the two parties over the establishment of dominance and the formation of the Union BNP committee. The houses that were set on fire in this incident belong to Muslims.
In this investigation, a video news report titled “Bagerhat BNP clash; Fire was set to the houses of its own party workers” was found on the YouTube channel of the country’s mainstream media DBC News on January 9.
At the beginning of the video report and after 1 minute, a scene of fire is shown several times. Similarities can be found with the scene shown in the broadcast video.
From this video report, it is known that the two sides of BNP were locked into clash repeatedly over the union committee for the past three days and at one point, the houses of their own party workers were set on fire.
During the investigation, a news report published on the website of the national daily Prothom Alo on January 9 was found. From the said report, it is known that “8 houses were vandalized, looted and set on fire due to the dispute between the two sides over local dominance and the formation of the union BNP committee in Bagerhat. At least 25 people, including women and children, were injured during this time. The incident took place on the evening of January 8 in the village of Kuliadair in Bishnupur union of Bagerhat Sadar upazila. Earlier, there were multiple counterattacks between the two sides since the afternoon.
Due to that incident, people from both sides launched attacks on each other in the afternoon and afternoon of that day. At one point in the evening, more than a hundred people attacked, vandalized, looted and set fire to the houses of Ruhul Amin and his seven brothers. The fire burned down eight houses of Ruhul Amin, along with cattle sheds, poultry houses and haystacks.”
In addition, a news report published in the online media Bangla Tribune on January 9 said, “According to party and local sources, a clash broke out between BNP leader Molla Mostafizur Rahman and Sheikh Ruhul Amin’s group over dominance. As a result, the houses of Sheikh Ruhul Amin and his eight brothers were set on fire in the evening. After the incident, police and army members rushed to the spot. Additional police and army have been deployed due to fears of another clash between the two conflicting factions of BNP. Among the seriously injured from both sides in the attack, Sheikh Sayel Uddin (60), Liton Sheikh (25), Mamun Mollah (42), Keramat Ali (38), Rozina Begum (45) are admitted to Bagerhat Hospital. Mahmud Mollah (48) has been admitted to Khulna Medical College Hospital in critical condition”.
Bagerhat Sadar Upazila BNP member Sheikh Ruhul Amin said, "On Wednesday afternoon, after talking to District BNP President Akram Hossain Talim about the formation of the Bishnupur Union BNP committee, on our way home, we were attacked by the leaders and activists of the opponent Mollah Mostafiz Rahman group when we reached the VIP intersection in Kuliyadair village. At that time, some of my supporters were injured."
Bishnupur Union BNP President Mollah Mostafizur Rahman Group leader Masum Mollah said, "On our way to file a complaint at the police station regarding the attack on us, people from the Sheikh Ruhul Amin group attacked us again in the afternoon. Five of us were injured in this. This incident led to a clash between the two sides in the evening. During this time, the houses of eight of our brothers, including Ruhul Amin Bhai, were set on fire and looted.’”
Rumor Scanner has analyzed these news reports and information obtained from reliable sources and found that the houses of Hindus were not set on fire in the incident. The houses of Ruhul Amin and his brothers, who are Muslims, were set on fire in the incident.
In addition, Bagerhat Police Superintendent Md. Touhidul Arif told Rumor Scanner that the claim of communal attack or that Hindu houses were set on fire, targeting Hindus are rumor.
"The incident of fire occurred during a clash between two factions of BNP over dominance and union committee. No communal connection was found", he said.
Rumor Scanner also spoke to Bagerhat Sadar Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md. Saidur Rahman about the matter. He confirmed that no Hindu house was set on fire in the incident.
Therefore, the claim being circulated that Hindu houses were set on fire in Bishnupur, Bagerhat is false.
Bd-pratidin English/Tanvir Raihan
