Propaganda and False Narratives Target Minorities in India and Bangladesh
August 2025 saw 15 false claims across India and Bangladesh, mainly targeting minorities. Fact-checks reveal propaganda fueled fear, twisted events, and stoked communal tensions on both sides.
বাংলাদেশ ও ভারতের সংখ্যালঘু জনগোষ্ঠীকে কেন্দ্র করে সামাজিক যোগাযোগমাধ্যম ও গণমাধ্যমে ভুল ও অসত্য তথ্যের প্রবাহ অব্যাহত রয়েছে। ২০২৫ সালের আগস্টে এই প্রচারণা এবং ভুল তথ্য আরো বৃদ্ধি পেয়েছে। তবে বিভিন্ন ফ্যাক্ট চেকিং সাইট-- মিথ্যা ধর্ষণের প্রতিবেদন, "বৃহত্তর বাংলাদেশ" মানচিত্র, জিজিয়া কর এবং সাম্প্রদায়িক সহিংসতার মিথকে মিথ্যা প্রমাণ করে।
In August 2025, at least 15 incidents of false claims, propaganda, and communal targeting were recorded across India and Bangladesh. Nine of these came from India, mostly involving attacks on Muslims and Christians, along with misleading stories about Bangladesh. Six incidents were reported inside Bangladesh, but many of them were pushed and amplified by pro-Hindutva networks across the border.
A clear pattern can be seen. Stories were twisted or made up, such as a “Greater Bangladesh” map, a fake Jizya tax in Natore, or false reports of communal killings in Rangpur. In India, mob violence against minorities often went hand in hand with online misinformation that tried to show Bangladesh as unsafe for Hindus. The goal in both cases was the same: to spread fear, create division, and use religion as a political weapon.
This Insighta report looks closely at each case from August 2025. By checking facts and exposing fabrications, it shows how disinformation is being used on both sides of the border to push agendas and stir communal tensions.
India Spreads Propaganda About Historical Exhibition in Bangladesh
On August 1, reports in Indian media alleged that a Dhaka-based group, Saltanat-e-Bangla, backed by a Turkish NGO, was circulating a “Greater Bangladesh” map including parts of India and Myanmar. India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also said, “The government has taken note of an Islamic group in Dhaka, ‘Saltanat-e-Bangla’, which is backed by a Turkish NGO called the 'Turkish Youth Federation', that has put out a map of the so-called ‘Greater Bangladesh’ that includes parts of India.”
However, investigations reveal no evidence of such a group or political agenda. The map was part of a cultural exhibition at Dhaka University on 14 April 2025, organized by the Center for Bengal Studies, showcasing Bengal’s historical territorial extent. Organizers and fact-checkers confirm it was purely educational and not linked to foreign influence or territorial claims.
False Jizya Claim in Natore, Bangladesh
On August 2, pro-Hindutva accounts shared a video claiming Hindus in Singra, Natore were tortured by “Islamist jihadis” for refusing to pay Jizya tax. Fact-checking shows the incident occurred in Motgram, Lalor Union, Singra and stemmed from a land dispute, not religious extremism. Victim Binoy Sarker reported that Awami League leader Md. Nazrul Islam and his family tried to grab their land, leading to an attack on August 1 that left several people injured. Police arrested Nazrul Islam, confirmed legal action, and clarified no link to Jizya tax or jihadi activities.
Muslim Men Assaulted by Cow Vigilantes in India’s West Bengal
On August 2, two Muslim men transporting cattle for farming were allegedly beaten, tied up, and humiliated by Hindutva vigilantes led by BJP youth leader Parijat Ganguly in Durgapur, West Bengal, reports media. Despite showing valid documents, the cattle were forcefully released, and money and papers were reportedly snatched.
Viral Video of “Hindu Land Seizure” in Bangladesh Found Misleading
On August 2, a viral video claimed Hindus in Bangladesh were forcibly dispossessed of land, amplified by Indian outlets like Sanatan Prabhat. Fact-checking shows the incident occurred in Kashipara, Nasirnagar, Brahmanbaria, and stemmed from a longstanding land dispute between the Nazrul and Das families, not communal violence. Minor confrontation over renovation work was recorded, but no serious violence or casualties occurred. Police confirmed it was a private civil dispute under court consideration.
False Claims About Hindu Man’s Murder in Bangladesh
On August 4, social media posts claimed Montu Chandra Das, a Hindu man from Barisal, Bangladesh was murdered by radical Islamists in retaliation for filing a case against a Jamaat-e-Islami leader after his daughter’s rape. Investigations reveal the claims were false. Montu Das’s daughter was abducted and raped on 5 March 2025; the primary accused, Srijib Chandra Ray, a Hindu man, was arrested the same day. Montu Das was found murdered on 11 March 2025, and police investigations indicate family members of the rape accused were involved. Four individuals, including Srijib’s father, have been arrested.
Bajrang Dal Mob Assaults Muslim Man in India’s Uttar Pradesh
On August 5, in Kasganj, Uttar Pradesh, Bajrang Dal members brutally attacked a Muslim man, Altaf Hasnain, accusing him of supplying beef along the Kanwar Yatra route, reports media. A viral video shows the mob surrounding Hasnain, repeatedly beating him with sticks while voices encouraged the assault.
Viral Video Claiming “Bangladeshi March in Assam” Found False
On August 7, a video claimed illegal Bangladeshi immigrants were marching in Assam’s Goalpara to attack officials and police. Fact-checking shows the footage was misattributed, originally posted by Jago News 24 on 1 July 2025, documenting a clash between two BNP factions in Kishoreganj, Bangladesh.
False Claims of Communal Violence in Khulna, Bangladesh
On August 7, several posts claimed Hindus were attacked in Shiali, Rupsa, Khulna. Fact-checking found the images were from 7 August 2021, when miscreants attacked temples and Hindu-owned properties in Shiali; 10 people were arrested. Recent posts misrepresent this as a current communal attack.
Viral Image of “Attack on Santal Village in Rajshahi” Found Misleading
On August 8, a social media image claimed to show an attack on a Santal village in Rajshahi, with looting and vandalism. Fact-checking reveals the image was almost four years old, originally from the August 2021 attacks on Hindu-owned shops, houses, and temples in Shiali, Rupsha, Khulna. The claim linking it to a recent Rajshahi attack is false.
Bajrang Dal Attacks Christian Worshippers in India’s Bihar
On August 10, in India’s Bihar, Bajrang Dal members allegedly attacked 40–45 people gathered for a Sunday prayer on 10 August, reports media.
Around 30–40 men, some armed with iron rods, sticks, and pistols, assaulted worshippers, injuring at least 10. Police have launched an investigation.
Maktab Demolished in Assam, Muslim Teacher Threatened
On August 10, in India’s Assam, Shahin Alam, a carpenter, muazzin, and teacher at a maktab, was threatened by a group questioning why he had opened the school, according to a media report. They demanded his Aadhaar card and called him “a proper Bangladeshi.” The group later returned with a bulldozer and police, demolishing the maktab.
Video of Aircraft Built by Bangladeshi Man Falsely Attributed to Indian Teen
On August 12, a video circulating on social media claimed that a teenager, Avnish Kumar from Bihar, India, built a single-seater aircraft in one week for ₹7,000 (USD 79). AFP verification found this is false: the man in the video is from Bangladesh and personally confirmed he built the plane.
Video Claiming Ban on Women’s Education in Bangladesh Found False
On August 14, a video claimed that women’s education is prohibited in Bangladesh, linking it to “Talibanization”. Fact-checking and media reports show the footage was misrepresented. The incident occurred on 27 October 2024 at Sir Salimullah Medical College, Dhaka, when a 22-year-old man, Zubair Ilahi, entered a lecture hall with a stick, creating panic. Police were called but he fled before arrival. The video had no connection to any ban on women’s education.
False Claim of Communal Killing in Rangpur
On August 17, the pro-Hindutva account Voice of Bangladeshi Hindus claimed that two children in Rangpur had lost their father in a communal attack. However, verification shows the claim is false. The photo actually comes from Bhola, where their father, Bikash Das, a barber, died of a stroke. Relatives later circulated the children’s photo to seek financial assistance. His cousin confirmed that the family’s appeal was genuine but unrelated to any communal violence.
Chandranath Hill Mosque Construction Rumors Denied
On August 20, several Indian media outlets, including OpIndia, reported that Sitakunda’s Chandranath Temple in Chattogram, Bangladesh, was under threat of encroachment, alleging that Islamists were reclassifying the Hindu pilgrimage site as a “tourist spot” to facilitate the construction of mosques and prayer halls. Bangladesh’s Religious Affairs Advisor, AFM Khalid Hossain, dismissed the claims, calling such construction “out of the question” and confirming that no such initiative has been undertaken.
False Claim of 342 Rapes of Minority Women in Bangladesh
On August 26, several Indian media outlets and pro-Hindutva accounts claimed that 342 Hindu and minority women had been raped in Bangladesh within 90 days. A fact-check found the claim to be false. According to rights group Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), 342 rape cases were reported nationwide between January and April 2025. The report does not specify the victims’ religion and spans four months, not 90 days.
About the Author:
Mohammed Raihan is a staff contributor to the Insighta. He writes on history, culture, language, economy and geopolitics, uncovering untold narratives that connect the past and present. He can be reached at mohammed_raihan@theinsighta.com
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect The Insighta's editorial stance. However, any errors in the stated facts or figures may be corrected if supported by verifiable evidence. | A guest post by
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