Amid political turmoil and unrest in Bangladesh, interim authorities have assumed power, but a police strike has exacerbated the situation, pushing the country toward chaos. In various parts of Bangladesh, opportunists and political adversaries have exploited the law enforcement's inactivity, leading to attacks, vandalism, arson, and even looting. Many of these incidents are politically motivated, though some have been perpetrated by opportunistic elements. However, Indian media outlets are adding fuel to the fire by spreading provocative reports, and social media platforms like Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, and YouTube are rampant with disinformation and dangerous propaganda.

These false narratives are being spread with a communal angle and are reaching social platforms used by Bangladesh's Hindu community, causing further alarm and tension. Fact-checkers are struggling to identify and counter the wave of misinformation, which some experts describe as dangerous and highly orchestrated. Both local and international fact-checking and research organizations, such as Rumor Scanner and Dismisslab, have published reports on these propagandas and disinformation campaigns.

Rumor Scanner reported on Friday night (August 9) that they had identified over 20 false rumors spread by Indian social media users. By Saturday (August 10), the number of confirmed cases had risen to over 30, some of which were deeply troubling.

One example is a post on X by a user named Mohan Gowda on August 7, showing a photo claiming that refugees were gathering at the Bangladesh-Assam border. However, the image was from a 2018 reunion of separated families living on either side of the Bangladesh-India border.

Another user on X, Salwan Momika, posted a video claiming that Hindu women in Bangladesh were being held captive and sold, similar to the situation in Iraq. The video, however, was actually from an incident involving female members of the student wing of the ruling Awami League at Begum Badrunnesa Government Women’s College.

Similarly, on August 7, a verified X account called "The Jaipur Dialogues" posted a video claiming that Hindu women were being raped and murdered in Bangladesh, and were at risk of genocide. This video was actually a silent protest staged by students at Jagannath University demanding justice for the suicide of one of their peers, Fairuz Avantika.

Other examples include a verified X account, "Sudarshan News," posting a video on the morning of August 7 claiming that a Hindu man’s shop in Lakshmipur had been set on fire. In reality, the video showed a fire incident in a local market in Lakshmipur.

Several other false claims spread by Indian social media accounts have been debunked, including old footage of fires and violence falsely attributed to recent events in Bangladesh. These fabrications have even been aired by Indian media channels, such as Republic TV, which reported a fire at the Nabagraha Temple in Chittagong, though the temple was unharmed, and the fire actually occurred at a nearby office of the Awami League.

Researchers from Dismisslab have also identified fake news being circulated, such as a claim on X that the Nabagraha Temple in Chittagong had been attacked and set on fire. Upon investigation, it was found that the fire was at the office of the Awami League's south Chittagong district branch, and the temple remained intact.

Meanwhile, AFP's Bangladesh fact-check editor, Kadaruddin Shishir, has also flagged some of these fabrications, including a widely circulated screenshot of a message conversation falsely claiming that a Hindu girl was raped during the quota reform protests. The image was actually from a 2021 rape case in India.

Further disinformation has been spread about the abduction of a Hindu woman in Noakhali. While the video depicted a woman being forced into a vehicle, local reports confirmed that it was a domestic dispute, not a communal attack.

Indian media's propagandist narratives have not gone unnoticed by international outlets, with Al Jazeera publishing an analysis criticizing Indian media for spreading misleading articles and videos about Bangladesh.

West Bengal Police also addressed the issue, calling the reporting on Bangladesh’s situation "communal and provocative." Their official Facebook page warned viewers not to fall for such divisive content, urging them to apply personal judgment and maintain peace.

Even the Bangladesh National Hindu Mahajot has criticized the Indian media for spreading false information about attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh. The organization’s president, Govinda Pramanik, stated that after the resignation of Sheikh Hasina, there were fears of widespread violence against the Hindu community, but the leadership of the opposition parties ensured protection for Hindu properties and temples. He acknowledged isolated incidents of opportunistic attacks but emphasized that these were not widespread or specifically targeted at Hindus due to their religion.

As experts and fact-checkers continue to combat disinformation, the political crisis in Bangladesh remains a complicated issue, with social and communal tensions being exacerbated by misleading narratives from across the border.