Summary:
- A viral video falsely claimed to show Hindus being burned in Bangladesh, but it is actually from a 2018 Halloween party in Zhuhai, China.
- Fact-checking organizations confirmed the video depicts Halloween props and not real events, debunking the misinformation spread on social media.
- The video was initially posted on YouTube and Instagram in 2018, showing a theme park celebration in Guangdong Province, China.
- This incident highlights the dangers of misinformation and the need for vigilance against false narratives that can incite communal tensions.
A viral video falsely claiming to depict the burning of a Hindu man in Bangladesh has been debunked by multiple fact-checking organizations, revealing it to be footage from a Halloween celebration in China. The video, which has been widely circulated on social media, was misrepresented to incite communal tension and spread misinformation.
According to Rumor Scanner Bangladesh, the video in question is not recent and does not originate from Bangladesh. Instead, it dates back to at least 2018 and shows a Halloween party in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, China. The platform highlighted that frames from the viral video match footage uploaded on October 27, 2018, by the YouTube channel “SviatMe.” Additionally, an Instagram post from October 31, 2018, by the user “galaxychimelong,” also featured similar scenes of Halloween-themed activities at Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, a popular theme park in China.
The video depicts mannequins designed as part of a Halloween display being set on fire—an artistic and theatrical element typical of such celebrations. Fact-checking organizations such as NewsMeter and BOOM further corroborated these findings, confirming that the viral clip was taken out of context to falsely claim it showed religious persecution in Bangladesh.
This incident underscores the dangers of misinformation on social media platforms. Such fabricated narratives can exacerbate communal tensions and spread fear among communities. It also highlights the importance of verifying content before sharing it online. Experts urge users to rely on reputable sources and fact-checking platforms to prevent the dissemination of false information.
Halloween, primarily celebrated in Western countries, has gained popularity globally in recent years, including in parts of Asia like China. However, its festivities have occasionally sparked controversies due to cultural misunderstandings or political sensitivities. In this case, a harmless celebration was misused to propagate a divisive agenda.
Authorities and digital literacy advocates emphasize the need for vigilance against such malicious campaigns. Social media companies are also being called upon to strengthen their mechanisms for detecting and mitigating the spread of misleading content.
Source: Daily Inqulab
