A video showing smoke coming out of some shops on fire is circulating on social media. Many users and influencers are claiming that a shop owned by Rajan Chandra, a Hindu, was deliberately set on fire by radical Muslims in Lakshmipur, Bangladesh, during the recent violence. However, D-Intent Data found that the video is from July 11 and is unrelated to religious hate crimes or the current situation in Bangladesh.
The Video was disseminated with communal claims
Several users, influencers, propagandists and media outlets have shared the video and made communal claims.
Sharing the video on X (Formerly Twitter), @SudarshanNewsTV wrote, Attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh…Hindu shopkeeper Rajan Chandra’s shop in Laxmipur has been burnt to ashes…Rajan Chandra and his family are in agony, crying and their only source of livelihood is burning to ashes as their shop burns to ashes.
Fake news peddler and propagandist account @SonOfBharat7 has also shared the video and said, Dalit Hindu Rajan Chandra’s shop was burnt down by Muslims Muslims came in a herd like pigs to Laxmipura in Bangladesh and snatched everything from a Dalit who was living on a small shop on the road. They looted his shop and set it on fire. Dalits of India, say Allahu Akbar.
Several other users, influencers and propagandists have also disseminated the video and made similar communal claims. Their posts can be seen here, VoiceofHindu71, @visegrad24, @FarazPervaiz3, @SaffronSunanda, @ManishKasyapsob, @Salwan_Momika1.
The truth about the viral video from fire at a market, Fact Check
As soon as the posts containing the video and communal claims came to our notice, we conducted research and analysis of the video and found that the incident is unrelated to the ongoing violence in Bangladesh and has nothing to do with religious hate crimes.
To verify the claims made by the users. We performed a reverse image search of some key frames from the viral video on Google. This led us to media reports from July 11, 2024, containing the same visuals.
According to media reports, the video circulating is actually old footage from July 11, 2024, predating the recent violence. On that day, a fire broke out at Majuchaudhuri Market in Lakshmipur, affecting 15 shops. Notably, there is no religious motive behind this incident. The fire occurred on the south side of the market shortly after Fajr prayers (early morning Islamic prayer). Although the fire service was promptly informed, they failed to arrive on time, allowing the fire to spread. Eventually, the fire service responded and brought the blaze under control, but not before 15 shops were reduced to ashes. Moreover, we found a video coverage of the same incident.
Hence, it is evident from D-Intent Data’s Fact Check that the viral video is not related to the ongoing violence in Bangladesh and has nothing to do with religious hate crimes.
Intent
Social media users, influencers, media outlets and propagandists are circulating disturbing videos from Bangladesh with misleading claims to set their narrative.
Conclusion
Claim – A shop owned by Hindu Dalit Rajan Chandra was set on fire by the extremists in Bangladesh.
Fact – The video is from 11 July 2024, predating the recent violence. On that day, a fire broke out at Majuchaudhuri Market in Lakshmipur, affecting 15 shops.
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