Video from Canada edited to claim it shows Bangladeshi Muslims 'threatening' Hindus

What is the claim?

Amid the ongoing unrest in Bangladesh, a video has been shared online with the claim that it shows Bangladeshi Muslims with Pakistani flags chanting demands for "direct action" on Hindus. The claim has emerged after reports that Hindu homes and establishments have been targeted amid the violence following former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's resignation and exit from the country. Social media users have been sharing updates from Bangladesh, alleging Hindus are under attack in the country.

The video is accompanied by an audio of slogans in Bengali. The video was shared with the caption: "Bangladeshi Muslims with Pakistan flag are threatening "Direct Action" on Hindus. We helped them get their country Bangladesh and they threatening us of Direct action day and want to merge with Pakistan … the same Pakistan which r@ped more than 5 lakh Bangladeshi women, k!lled millions …Bangladesh truly is a b@s***rd ch!ld which don't deserve  to exist [sic]." Archives of similar posts can be found here and here. 

Screenshots of the claims circulating online(Source: X/Modified by Logically Facts)

However, this video is not from Bangladesh but from Canada and has been edited to add a different audio with Bengali chants.

What are the facts? 

Through a reverse image search, we found a similar video uploaded to TikTok (archived here) by a user named Charlsanayub on August 15, 2023. The video had text overlaid on it, which says: "Independence Day at Gerard Street Toronto." The video was shared with the caption: "Happy independence day #pakistanindependceday #gerrard #street#toronto #canada." Pakistan's Independence Day is celebrated on August 14. However, this video does not have any chants as heard in the viral video. Instead, a Hindi song can be heard.

A comparison of this video and the now-viral video showed many similarities—including the orange building behind the crowd. The same individuals are visible in the crowd in both the viral video and the original footage, which shows that both videos were taken at the same event. 

Screenshot of the comparison between the viral video and TikTok video (Source: X/TikTok)

We found that the TikTok video pans to the entrance of the orange-brick building, and we can see the words "Lahore Tikka House" written on it. A search for Lahore Tikka House Toronto led us to its location on Google Maps, and a comparison can be seen below. 

Comparison of the TikTok video and the location from Google Maps (Source: X/Google Maps)

Where is the audio from?

The audio in the background, which is in Bengali, does not match the translation of "direct action on Hindus" as claimed in the viral post. The slogans heard in the video translate to: "Don't make trouble, don't make trouble, Pakistan's Khaleda, go to Pakistan, Pakistan's Khaleda, Pakistan's Khaleda."

A keyword search in Bengali on slogans against "Khaleda" led us to this video uploaded on YouTube in 2018 (archived here). This video shows a group of people marching in the streets holding a banner, and was shared with a caption in Bengali that translates to: "Khaleda of Pakistan go back to Pakistan."  The same slogans heard in the viral video are audible in the first few seconds of this video. 

A keyword search led us to reports from 2018 that stated that leaders of the Awami League held protests against Khaleda Zia, former Prime Minister of Bangladesh and head of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. Zia, known as Sheikh Hasina's rival, faced protests in 2018 for her remarks demanding a survey of the number of people martyred in the Bangladesh war for independence from Pakistan.

This evidence indicates that audio from an old video has been edited onto a different video to falsely link it to the ongoing unrest in Bangladesh.

The ongoing unrest in Bangladesh

After weeks of unrest, marred by violence and the deaths of over 450 people, Bangladesh has a new interim government headed by Nobel laureate Muhammed Yunus. Amid the violence, there have been reports of Hindu homes and establishments being attacked, with Yunus meeting minority leaders, promising action, and calling for calm. 

The unrest in Bangladesh began in June 2024. Widespread protests against the quota system in government jobs escalated into a call for the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. On August 5, Hasina, who had held power for three consecutive terms, resigned and fled the country, paving the way for fresh elections.

The verdict 

A video from Toronto, Canada, showing Pakistan Independence Day celebrations in August 2023, has been falsely linked to the reported attacks on Hindu establishments in Bangladesh following the unrest.