大象传媒

In the aftermath of Bangladesh鈥檚 political unrest and the student-led protests that led to the collapse of Sheikh Hasina鈥檚 government in August 2024, the country is facing a period of transition and uncertainty. Amid the chaos, harrowing videos and reports of violent attacks against the Hindu minority flooded social media鈥攊mages of burning buildings, horrifying violence, and women weeping as they pleaded for help. However some began to doubt the veracity and authenticity of these videos after they seemed to be sensationalised by right-wing influencers and news outlets in neighbouring India.

Despite this, shocking new videos of alleged attacks continue to appear on social media, with little or no acknowledgement from a world that is now questioning their legitimacy. In the first episode of a two-part series for 大象传媒 World Service鈥檚 Heart & Soul, reporter Sahar Zand travels to Bangladesh to investigate the truth behind the contradictory news headlines and the contrasting videos emerging daily online. There, Sahar follows two Hindu university students, Sukanto and Banamali, who have made it their mission to verify and document what they describe as brutal assaults on their community, determined to set the record straight.

Sahar follows Sukanto and Banamali as they travel to some of the worst-affected areas, and sees and hears firsthand accounts of homes burned, families separated, temples desecrated, and entire villages torn apart by mob violence. Despite their tireless efforts to report the truth, the two friends say that the Hindu experience in Bangladesh has been met with silence from both the worlds media and the countries authorities.

Producer: Sahar Zand
Executive Producer: Rajeev Gupta

[Photo: Sahar Zand with Jakesh Chongraray in his living room, which was attacked and set alight by a mob of around 100 men during anti-Hindu violence in Burasardubi Upazila, Lalmonirhat, Bangladesh. The attack on August 5, 2024, left 17 houses and 3 temples looted and burned.]