Authors
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
Claim: A call for jihad by ISIS terrorists in Bangladesh’s Jessore district.
Fact: The video is not associated with any militant group but is part of a ‘Go As You Like’ contest.
Amid ongoing allegations of torture against Hindus in Bangladesh, a video has recently gone viral on social media, showing a masked individual delivering a fiery speech from a stage, flanked by two others armed with guns. The video, widely shared on Facebook, has led many to claim that a call for jihad was made in Bangladesh’s Jessore district.
Sharing the video on his X handle, one of the users wrote, “Islamic terrorists are openly threatening with machine gun. Bangladeshi hindus have to live with these extremists. Location : Jashore Jamia Islamia, Bangladesh.”
The video was also posted on social media by renowned Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen (Archive). Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s son, Sajeeb Wazed, also criticised the video in a social media post.
Fact Check/ Verification
A keyword search in Bangla on the internet led us to a report on the Bangla Tribune, dated December 18, 2024. According to the report, the video is from Jamia Islamia Madrasa in Jessore, Bangladesh and is not linked to any militant organisation. Instead, it is a video from a ‘Go As You Like’ contest.
After the video triggered confusion online, Mufti Lutfur Rahman Farooqui, Chief of Jessore Jamia Islamia Madrasa, addressed the issue by providing clarification during a Facebook Live session. He explained that the video was part of the ‘Go As You Like’ Contest and the speech delivered in Arabic from the stage made no reference to militancy. Instead, it conveyed a message about standing up against injustice. The weapon seen in the hands of the students is not real but made of plastic or similar materials for the contest.
According to a report by Jamuna TV, Noor-e-Alam Siddiqui, additional Superintendent of Police of Jessore District Police, has denied any links between the video and militancy.
Conclusion
Hence, it proved that the video is not associated with any militant group but is part of a ‘Go As You Like’ contest.
Result: False
Sources
Report by Bangla Tribune, Dated December 18, 2024
Report by Jamuna Television, Dated December 18, 2024
Facebook Post by Jessore Jamia Islamia Madrasa
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Authors
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
