A video of a man delivering a speech at a mass gathering is viral on social media. It is being claimed that the man is a Bangladeshi Muslim and he is issuing an ultimatum to the Hindu minorities in the country to leave Bangladesh in a week.
In the viral video, the speaker says in Bengali: “I want to warn you, if we have to get to the streets for justice, we will do it again. They are still conspiring. I don’t know if you are aware of that. Sometimes posing as Hindus, as minorities, as Chittagong press club, as leaders of the press club or as journalists. I want to warn those people, don’t make excuses, leave the country. Run while you can. Your father has fled, your dada (elder brothers) have fled, Sheikh Hasina has fled. Don’t try to mess around, and don’t cause trouble. I’m warning you, be cautious. I’m giving you a one-week ultimatum. After that, I will deal with you. As long as I live, I will deal with you.”
In July and August of 2024, Bangladesh witnessed widespread protests that escalated into violence, ultimately resulting in the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5, who had held office for 15 years. Following her resignation, several reports of attacks against minorities in the country came to light. This video, too, is being shared in that context; to show the alleged persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh.
Premium subscribed X handle Megh Updates 🚨™ (@MeghUpdates) shared the video on September 30 with the claim that Hindus in Bangladesh were being given an ultimatum to leave the country within seven days. The tweet has received more than 2.65 Lakh views and has been retweeted over 3,100 times. (Archive)
Hindus are being given an ultimatum to leave the country within 7 days in #Bangladesh . Saying, “Your fathers are gone, your aunts are scared, you too go away.” pic.twitter.com/PL3vBbFSIV
— Megh Updates 🚨™ (@MeghUpdates) September 30, 2024
Another Premium subscribed X user, Sourish Mukherjee (@me_sourish_), who, according to the X bio, is the media in-charge of VHP West Bengal, also shared the viral video with the same claim. (Archive)
Hindus are being given an ultimatum to leave the country within 7 days in #Bangladesh . Saying, “Your fathers are gone, your aunts are scared, you too go away.”
Can’t Bengali Hindus answer this arrogance!!!#AllEyesOnBangladeshiHindus pic.twitter.com/1nWVMXCVz5— Sourish Mukherjee (@me_sourish_) September 29, 2024
Several other users and pages on X such as @hindupost, and @JaipurDialogues shared the viral clip claiming that the man in the video was issuing an ultimatum to the Hindu community in Bangladesh. Below are a few instances.
News outlet Asianet News also published a report on September 30 carrying the viral video. They mentioned in the report that a leader issued a “venomous ultimatum, warning the Hindu community to leave the country within seven days—or face extermination”.
Fact Check
We found the entire video of the speech on YouTube. The video titled, “Emdad Bhai’s speech at the memorial and cultural evening dedicated to the families of martyrs and fighters of the July Revolution”, was posted by a YouTube channel called ‘Junaid Abdullah’ on September 28.
The description of the video on the YouTube page says, “Saifuddin Mohammad Emdad Bhaiya’s historic fiery speech at the cultural evening for the commemoration of martyred families and fighters of the July Revolution.”
According to reports, Saifuddin Mohammad Emdad played an active role in the anti-quota students’ movement that rocked the neighbouring country earlier this year. On August 5, he was shot at near the police lines in Chittagong, which led to loss of vision in his right eye.
In the seven-minute-long speech, Emdad talks about those who were injured during the protests. He also mentions that he was shot in his eye by the police when he was protesting. At the 4:36 mark of the video, he states: “The henchmen of the dictator are still roaming the alleys of Chittagong. I want to know why they are roaming. How do they have the audacity? They ruthlessly unleashed terror on the students at Chittagong’s Bohoddor Haat. Why are they still roaming around openly? Where is the police? Our army has been given the power but why aren’t they using it? Does this mean we will have to struggle once again with our sick bodies?… I don’t want to protest again. I want to see the murderers in jail. I want justice.” After this, at the 5:56 mark, the part of the speech which has now gone viral begins. When it is heard in continuity, it becomes clear that the viral part is being shared without context.
From the beginning, the speaker talks about supporters of Awami League and former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. In the viral part of the speech, he says, “They are still conspiring. I don’t know if you are aware. Sometimes posing as Hindus, as minorities, as Chittagong press club, as leaders of the press club or as journalists.” When the entire speech is heard, it becomes clear that “they” here refers to Awami League supporters who were against the students’ protest in July.
The protesting students clashed with Awami League supporters in several parts of Bangladesh during the months-long agitation. Reports of such incidents can be read here and here.
To sum up, the viral speech does not show persecution of or threats to Hindus in Bangladesh. The speaker in the video is a leader of the students’ movement. He claims that supporters and associates of the Awami League and its leader Sheikh Hasina are still roaming around in Chittagong. He is issuing an ultimatum to them.
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