Clip of Bangladeshi actor protesting shared as 'Hindu woman being forced to convert'

What is the claim?

A video of a woman crying has been circulated on social media with the claim that 'Hindu women in Bangladesh' are being forced to convert to Islam or leave the country. In the viral video, the woman speaks in Bangla using a microphone before becoming emotional.

The Hindi text overlaid on the video reads, “Listen to the roar of the Hindu tigress of Bangladesh, Jai Shree Ram,” and includes the date August 12, 2024.

A user on X (formerly Twitter) shared the video with the caption: “The Islamic (sic) maulanas of Bangladesh have given an ultimatum: either accept it or leave Bangladesh or the world. Where will one go, leaving his home? The hard work of a lifetime, everything is there—how can one leave it? The Hindus of Bangladesh need support; tomorrow, you will also need it. 57 countries are united. #AwesomeFreedomOffer.” Archived versions of this post and similar claims can be found here, here, here, and here.  

Screenshots of the viral posts. (Source: X / Modified by Logically Facts)

However, the woman in the viral video is not Hindu. She is Bangladeshi actor Azmeri Haque Badhon, who was speaking out against the killing of students during a violent clash with the police.

What we found 

A reverse image search of keyframes from the video led to a YouTube upload on August 1, 2024, by various media outlets, including Samakal News (archived here), Jamuna TV (archived here), and Barta24 (archived here). In the video, the woman was identified as actor Azmeri Haque Badhon.

According to a report by the Dhaka Tribune on August 1, 2024, many artists protested at Farmgate to show solidarity with the ongoing student movement in Bangladesh. They demanded justice for the killings and an end to the violence.

The protestors, holding banners and posters, condemned the killings, called for an end to mass arrests, criticized the government, and demanded its resignation.

Screenshot of a Dhaka Tribune report, that included an image of Azmeri Haque Badhon protesting. (Source: Dhaka Tribune)

The report stated that the artists originally planned to gather at Manik Mia Avenue in front of the National Parliament at 11 a.m. but were stopped by the police. They then marched to the front of Ananda Cinema Hall in Farmgate via Indira Road. Prominent artists, including Mamunur Rashid, Mosharraf Karim, Badhon, Sabilla Noor, Ashfaque Nipun, and Nurul Alam Atique, participated in the protest.

An RTV News report noted that Badhon, despite the rain, broke down in tears during the rally and said, “My child could have been there today. You cannot live in peace like this. This must be stopped. We all want justice. We want state justice.”

Screenshot of the RTV News report with images of actor Ajmeri Haq. (Source: RTV News) 

Prothom Alo reported on August 1, 2024, that the artists criticized the government's brutal suppression of the students' movement. The report included a statement from Badhon expressing solidarity with the students and demanding justice for those killed.

Badhon’s Instagram account confirms that on August 6, 2024, she posted an image from the same rally, with the caption noting the event took place on August 1 (archived here).

Badhon also addressed the viral post on X in a Facebook post dated August 13, 2024 (archived here). She said, “As a proud Bangladeshi, I’m sharing my own video from a recent protest where I demanded rights for students and spoke out against the tyrannical Hasina regime. I declared that this is MY country, and WE will help reform it!” She further accused Indian media of twisting narratives and spreading falsehoods.

Badhon, who won the Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Actress and appeared in Vishal Bhardwaj’s film Khufiya in 2023, is a member of the Muslim community, not Hindu, as the viral post claimed.

Current unrest in Bangladesh

Months of unrest in Bangladesh began with student protests against a quota system and evolved into broader anti-government demonstrations, resulting in at least 560 deaths.

Following former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation on August 5, the Parliament was dissolved and replaced by an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus. Reports of attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh have been reported, prompting protests in neighboring India.

The verdict

The video features Bangladeshi actor Azmeri Haque Badhon speaking out against the violence against students during the August 1 protest. The claim of a communal angle is unfounded.

Logically Facts has been actively debunking misinformation related to violence in Bangladesh. You can read our fact-checks here.

(Translated by Vanita Ganesh.)