From AFP News Agency.
Bangladesh’s autocratic ruler Sheikh Hasina was ousted by student protests on August 5, 2024 and fled to India. In the months that followed, internet users published or were subject to sharing false and misleading posts meant to fan real religious and political tensions.
AFP’s teams in India and Bangladesh have worked to shed light on hundreds of misleading claims since the ouster. Here are three examples that journalists debunked using publicly available tools like reverse image searches, geolocation and keyword searches.
00:02 Sheikh Hasina is ousted on August 5, 2024
00:18 Instability and lack of clarity lead to online rumors
00:40 Theme park picture mis-used to exaggerate Hindu persecution
01:04 Reverse image search turns up real photos
01:27 Keyword search leads to additional information confirming theme park origins of photo
01:53 A doctored image of ousted Sheikh Hasina is shared 6,000+ times
02:11 Context: Hasina, a Muslim former-leader of a Muslim-majority nation but exiled in Hindu-majority India when the image circulates
02:34 Reverse image search turns up original photo with Rahul Ghandi
03:03 Overlay reveals manipulation
03:15 Hasina’s likeness lifted from 2019 AFP photo
03:29 Muslim cleric photo inserted into Hindu temple background widely shared
03:39 Context: in Bangladesh, after several attacks on Hindus seven musicians are charged with "hurting religious sentiments" for singing Islamic songs at a Hindu music festival
04:04 Reverse image search leads to Facebook post
04:26 Geolocation via Google Street View confirms location as Islamic scholar’s gravesite
MUSIC: AUDIO NETWORK
Opal / Kelly Mac (BMI) | Aaron John Shapiro (BMI)
Bank Job / Bob Bradley (PRS) | Lincoln Grounds (PRS) | Steve Dymond (PRS)
