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| - By: Mohammad Salman
August 22 2024
The viral video actually shows Dr. Abdul Bashir, who resigned as dean of Dhaka University's Arts Faculty following student protests.
What's the claim?
A viral video on social media shows a bearded man reciting the Quran in an office while others film him. The post claims that a Hindu professor at Dhaka University is being coerced into resigning by members of the Jamaat-e-Islami student organization, who allegedly forced him to recite Quranic verses before accepting his resignation.
On X (formerly Twitter), user Jitendra Pratap Singh, known for spreading misinformation, shared the video with the caption: “The resignation of a Hindu professor of Dhaka College was taken in a very strange way by the Jamaat-e-Islami student organization. First, the Hindu professor was made to recite Quranic verses, and then his resignation was accepted.”
This post has been shared with hashtags such as #hindulifematters and #HindusAreNotSafeInBangladesh. An archived version of the post can be seen here. Other posts with similar claims are archived here, here, and here.
Screenshots of viral posts claiming to show a Hindu professor being forced to resign while reciting the Quran in Bangladesh. (Source: X/Modified by Logically Facts)
The viral video actually shows Dr. Abdul Bashir, a Muslim professor who resigned as dean of Dhaka University's Arts Faculty following massive student protests.
What did we find?
A reverse image search of keyframes from the viral video led us to a video report by Dhaka Post published on August 19, 2024. The report includes a longer version of the video from a different angle, showing the same man reading the Quran and another man seated at a desk. This report identifies the man as Abdul Bashir.
Screenshot of the video published by Dhaka Post. (Source: Dhaka Post/Modified by Logically Facts)
According to the Dhaka Post report, Dr. Bashir, Dean of Dhaka University’s Arts Faculty, resigned following student protests. The students had been protesting Bashir's actions against students who recited the Quran during the holy month of Ramzan.
A report by Dhaka Tribune, also published on August 19, 2024, provides additional confirmation. It shows a picture taken from another angle, corroborating that Dr. Bashir resigned from his position as Dean of the Faculty of Arts. The students had gathered at 11:30 a.m. demanding his resignation, which Bashir submitted that day. The Quran was recited after his resignation.
A Financial Express report also confirms Bashir’s resignation.
We verified Professor Bashir’s role on the official Dhaka University website, which confirms his position as dean and includes a photograph that matches the man in the viral video.
A comparison between the viral video and Prof Bashir's picture on the Dhaka University website. (Source: Dhaka University/X/Modified by Logically Facts)
What is the current situation in Bangladesh?
Ongoing unrest in Bangladesh is anticipated to diminish following the formation of an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.
Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina faces legal challenges related to the violent crackdown by the interim government. The United Nations has called for an investigation into alleged human rights abuses during Hasina's tenure.
Former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s bank accounts will be unfrozen after 17 years.
Yunus has pledged to hold a free, fair, and inclusive election after implementing "important reforms," which he deems the interim government’s "mandate."
Logically Facts has been actively refuting misinformation about the Bangladesh violence. You can read our fact-checks here.
The verdict
Our investigation confirms that the claim is false. The man in the video is not a Hindu professor but Abdul Bashir, the dean of Dhaka University’s Arts Faculty.
(Translated by Prabhanu Das)
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