Rumor Scanner debunks video claiming militancy emergence in Bangladesh

Fact-checking organisation 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 the rise of militancy, gatherings, or calls for jihad in Bangladesh.

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 today, 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, and 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 17 December 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 on 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 on 18 December.

He said that the video broadcast was a part of the annual Anjuman meaning the annual cultural program of Jashore Jamia Islamia on 17 December 2024, which has no relation to militancy. He also said that the firearm-like object in his hand was not a real firearm but was made of cork sheet (shola).

In addition, a poster of the annual competition and award ceremony at Jashore Jamia Islamia Madrasa was shared on the said Facebook page on 15 December. However, the specific date of the ceremony was not mentioned in the poster.

Rumor Scanner contacted Magfur Rahman, Education Secretary of Jashore Jamia Islamia Madrasa, to learn more about the matter.

He said that the video being broadcast was of the students' competition ceremony on 17 and 18 December.

There were exhibitions on various topics such as Hamd Naat, Qirat, Hifzul competition, Bengali and Arabic speeches, and dressing up as they wish. The broadcast video was part of such an exhibition. The backdrop of the exhibition was the current situation in Israel and Palestine.

The Israelis are attacking Palestinians and killing women, children, helpless people, and the elderly. They are demolishing houses. The student gave a speech in Arabic on these issues.

The student said that the honour of these helpless and poor mothers and sisters should not be ruined so that they do not die again. We Muslims should be vocal about them. The claim being circulated in this regard is false and has already been verified by the police station.

Apart from this, observing Mufti Magfur Rahman's Facebook account 'Mufti Magfur Rahman Jashore', it is seen that multiple live videos of the event were posted from the same stage on 17 December. In some of those posts, the entire text of the banner behind the stage was also visible.

Meanwhile, in the wake of the discussion on social media about the video, Officer-in-Charge of Jashore Kotwali Police Station Abdur Razzak commented on the video circulated to the online media outlet The Daily Campus as an immediate reaction, claiming that the video being circulated was false.

However, on 19 December, Jashore District Police circulated a video on their Facebook page in this regard.

The post reveals that several teams of Jashore District Police have investigated the video in question and found that on 17 December, three students of the institution participated in "Jemon Kushi Temon Sajo" competition as part of the annual function and award ceremony 2024 at the said madrasa, and this video is part of it.

Jashore District Police inspected the said madrasa on-site and found two firearm-like objects, which were made of cork sheet and wood.