2016 image from ISKCON temple in India falsely linked to Bangladesh violence

What is the claim?

An image of a man in white robes serving food to a group of men in skull caps has been circulated with the claim that it depicts an Iftar feast at an ISKCON temple in Bangladesh that was reportedly set ablaze. Iftar is the meal Muslims eat to break their fast during the holy month of Ramadan. 

The accompanying text reads: "A monk from the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) offers sweetmeats to Muslims during Iftar."

A Facebook user shared this image (archived here) with the caption: “Just a few days ago, Bangladesh ISKCON fed them in temples to prove secularism on Eid, Today with the blessing of all skull heads, the same iskcon had ablaze nicely. This is the final destination and great karma of secularism (sic).” Similar claims circulating on social media can be found here and here.

Screenshots of the claims on social media. (Source: Facebook / X / Modified by Logically Facts)

Although an ISKCON temple in Meherpur, Bangladesh, was reportedly set on fire recently, the image used in the claim actually shows an Iftar feast at an ISKCON temple in West Bengal, India, and is unrelated to the unrest in Bangladesh.

What we found 

A reverse image search led us to a July 4, 2016, article by UCANews (archived here) titled "Hindu group hosts fast-breaking event for Muslims." This article includes the now-viral image of the priest featured in the social media claim, but with a caption that reads: "A monk from the International Society for Krishna Consciousness offers sweetmeats to Muslims during Iftar at the Hindu group's temple in Mayapur on June 22. (Photo by Raghu Nath)." The caption in the viral claim has been cropped.

The article quotes Madhab Gouranga Das, the ISKCON group's public relations officer at the time, who stated that the Iftar was organized to celebrate ISKCON’s 50th anniversary.

A screenshot of the 2016 article that first uses the image. (Source: UCA News)

A Google search also led us to the same image published by the Indian news agency IANS (archived here), titled “(220616) Kolkata: ISKCON holds Iftar gathering.”

Additionally, a similar image on the Deccan Herald’s Facebook page (archived here) shows the same priest and Muslim men dining together, captioned: “Muslims break their fast during an Iftar party at the ISKCON temple in Mayapur, Nadia district, West Bengal, on Wednesday. PTI Photo.”

We contacted Yudhistira Govinda Dasa, Director of Communications for ISKCON India, who confirmed that the image was taken in Mayapur, West Bengal.

Current unrest in Bangladesh

Since June 2024, students in Bangladesh have protested against the 30 percent job quota for descendants of freedom fighters from the 1971 independence war, despite the Sheikh Hasina-led government initially abolishing it. Although the policy was scrapped in 2018, a lower court recently reinstated it, sparking nationwide protests.

Though the Supreme Court partially overturned the lower court's decision, the protests evolved into anti-government agitation, resulting in at least 300 deaths. On August 5, Hasina resigned as prime minister and fled to neighboring India. Bangladesh is set to have a new interim government headed by Nobel Peace Prize-winner Muhammad Yunus, who will be sworn in as prime minister on August 8, 2024.

Meanwhile, an India Today report indicates that an ISKCON temple in Meherpur, Khulna, Bangladesh, was set on fire on August 5, 2024. The report also notes that at least four other temples and an Indian cultural center in Dhaka were targeted.

The verdict 

A 2016 image of a priest serving food during an Iftar celebration in West Bengal, India, has been falsely linked to the unrest in Bangladesh.

Logically Facts is actively debunking misinformation surrounding the violence in Bangladesh. You can read our fact-checks here.