Many people lost their lives and numerous others were injured, after violent protests that broke out in Bangladesh over the Quota system. Following this, online images are circulating falsely claiming that the Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh attended a security meeting with Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina. However, D-Intent Data has confirmed that the person in the image is Tarique Ahmed Siddique. A retired Major General of the Bangladesh Army and the Defence and Security adviser to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
False claims disseminated about Bangladesh security meeting
Several users, influencers and propagandists have shared the image. And claimed that the Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh attended the security meeting during the violent protests in Bangladesh. The individual in the image misidentified as Harsh Vardhan Shringla, the former High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh.
Sharing the image, a user Reyadul Islam on Facebook said, Why is the Indian High Commissioner in such an important meeting with the heads of the three forces? Want to know from #AnimalLeague animal kids?
Another account ‘BNP News’ said, No matter what steps Sheikh Hasina takes in the internal affairs of Bangladesh, what is the Indian High Commissioner doing here?? The nation wants to know why the Indian High Commissioner is always by Hasina’s side, has Hasina sold the country??
The truth behind the claims about Bangladesh security meeting, Fact Check
As soon as the posts containing the claims came to our notice. Subsequently, we researched and analyzed the image and found that the claims were false and baseless.
The man in question is not the Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh but Tarique Ahmed Siddique( source 1, 2) a retired Major General of the Bangladesh Army and the Defence and Security adviser to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina.
Moreover, we found that Harsh Vardhan Shringla served as the Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh from January 2016 (source )to December 2018. The current High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh is Shri Pranay Kumar Verma.
Additionally, we found the image of Tarique Ahmed Siddique on Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh’s X( formerly Twitter) account which matches the same person attending the security meeting.
Bangladesh Awami League also refers to his position as ‘Security Adviser to the Prime Minister’. Hence, it is evident from D-Intent Data’s Fact Check that the image doesn’t show the Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh but Tarique Ahmed Siddique, a retired Major General of Bangladesh Army and the Defence and Security adviser to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina.
Intent
Propagandists are circulating images from PM Sheikh Hasina’s meeting with misleading claims to set their anti-India narrative.
Conclusion
Claim- The Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh attended a security meeting with Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina during the violent protests.
Fact- The individual seen in the image is not the Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh but Tarique Ahmed Siddique, a retired Major General of Bangladesh Army and the Defense and Security adviser to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina.
