Old video of cricketer Shakib Al Hasan falsely linked to recent Bangladesh protests

What is the claim?

A video circulating on social media claims that Bangladeshi cricketer Shakib Al Hasan has publicly supported the students involved in the country's ongoing protests. In the video, he says, “Assalam Walaikum, first, I want to thank the students of Bangladesh for their revolutionary protests. I stand in solidarity with the movement.” 

A voice in the background also claims that the cricketer is backing the protesting students. Text overlaid on the video reads: “Finally, Shakib Al Hasan agreed with the students (translated from Bangla).” This video has been widely shared on Facebook with similar assertions. Archived versions of these posts can be found here and here. 

Screenshots of social media posts. (Source: Facebook/Modified by Logically Facts)

The claim, however, is misleading. The video in question dates back to 2018 and shows Hasan expressing support for students protesting for better road conditions. He has not made any recent statements regarding the current student protests.

How did we find the truth?

A reverse image search of the video’s keyframes confirmed that it dates back to 2018 and is unrelated to the recent protests. Hasan originally posted the video on his Facebook page on August 3, 2018. In it, he expressed support for students protesting against road accidents and said, “I want to thank the students for showing us the way.” He also mentioned that the prime minister was aware of the situation and had taken steps that would take time to implement.

According to Bangladeshi media outlet Prothom Alo, Hasan posted the video during the 2018 student protests advocating for better roads. This followed a controversial text post on the same issue.

In his initial post, Shakib expressed pride in the students' fight for justice. He wrote, “I want to congratulate you and say that your demands are being implemented. The Hon'ble Prime Minister is working earnestly to enact the Safe Roads Act apart from providing financial assistance to the deceased families. Meanwhile, five people have been arrested along with the cancellation of the route permit of the accused transport. In this situation, I humbly request you to return to class and concentrate on your studies. What you have done will be history in this country. This achievement will be achieved by returning to your reading table. Your demands have been met and are being met.” 

His call for students to return to their studies sparked controversy, leading Hasan to delete the post and share a video expressing his continued support for the movement. In the video's caption, he wrote: “Dear fans and followers, some of you have misunderstood my message. Please know that I stand with you, and let’s work together to ensure our government meets your demands as soon as possible. Remember, I have a young daughter, a sister, a wife, and parents like many of you. Love, Shakib.”

The Bangladeshi cricketer has not commented on the protests in 2024. The 2018 video has been misrepresented as supporting the ongoing unrest.

The 2018 protests

On July 29, 2018, a bus accident on Airport Road in front of Kurmitola General Hospital in Dhaka killed two students and injured 13 others. Following the incident, students protested against poor road conditions and demanded improvements.

The current student protests

The 2024 student protests began in opposition to the country's quota system but soon escalated into demands for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation. Reports indicate that on August 5, Hasina resigned and left the country, and the army chief announced the formation of an interim government.

The verdict

A 2018 video of Bangladeshi cricketer Shakib Al Hasan supporting students protesting for better roads has been misleadingly circulated as evidence of his support for the 2024 student protests.