A graphic video circulating on social media, purportedly showing a Hindu woman from Dhaka University being assaulted, has been confirmed to be from a 2021 incident in Bengaluru, India. The video, along with a blurred screenshot, falsely claims to depict recent attacks exacerbated by the new interim government in Bangladesh.
Upon investigation, it was found that the video originally surfaced in June 2021 and involved a case of sexual assault by Bangladeshi nationals in Bengaluru. Reports from that time detailed the assault of a woman by several men, which went viral on social media, leading to the arrest of 12 individuals involved in human trafficking and assault.
Contrary to the current claims, this video has no connection to the recent unrest in Bangladesh, where protests erupted following a controversial job quota policy reinstatement. The protests led to violent clashes, internet shutdowns, and a curfew, ultimately resulting in the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5, 2024.
The video’s false attribution aims to incite communal tensions by suggesting ongoing violence against Hindus in Bangladesh. Multiple news sources and journalists have verified that the video is from the 2021 Bengaluru incident and is unrelated to the current political and social situation in Bangladesh.