Old video from India misrepresented as political killing in Bangladesh

At least 36 people have been killed across Bangladesh in incidents of political violence in the first three months of 2026, but footage of a man assaulting another person with a deadly weapon does not show a member of ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party killing a leader from ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina's now-banned Awami League, contrary to claims circulating online. A police officer and a media outlet that shared the video told AFP it was filmed in neighbouring India's Mumbai city in July 2025.

"Awami League leader attacked in public with a knife," says in part a Bengali-language Facebook post shared on May 28, 2026.

Bangladesh celebrated the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha on May 28 (archived link).

The post goes on to add, "He came home on Eid on bail after being the victim of a fake case. But BNP cadres killed him in his home."

Clip attached with the post that was shared more than 1,600 times shows a man viciously attacking another person with a weapon.

The Human Rights Support Society, a Bangladesh-based organisation, said in a report that 36 people have been killed in 610 incidents of political violence in the first three months of 2026, 28 of whom are members of the BNP and one from Awami League (archived link).

Odhikar, another rights group in Dhaka, previously said at least 281 people had been killed in violence involving political parties from August 2024, when the rule of autocratic former leader Sheikh Hasina ended (archived link).

Hasina was ousted following a student-led uprising in August 2024 and her party -- Awami League -- was outlawed on May 10, 2025 (archived link).

Thousands of Hasina loyalists have since been arrested under the current rule of BNP (archived link).

The former prime minister remains in self-imposed exile in India and has defied an arrest warrant from Dhaka over charges of crimes against humanity (archved link).

The footage circulated elsewhere in Facebook posts with similar claims.

But the footage does not show a political killing in Bangladesh and was filmed in neighbouring Indian city of Mumbai.

A reverse image search on Google of the video's keyframes found the visuals shared on the Instagram account of Mumbai-based media outlet Gallinews India on July 2, 2025 (archived link).

The post is captioned, "Murder in Antophill, Kalwa resident murdered".

Antop Hill is a residential suburb in the Indian western city of Mumbai.

Galli News confirmed to AFP the video was from Mumbai.

"A witness who was on the spot shared the video with our reporter when he reached there," Galli News India told AFP on June 9.

Subsequent keyword searches found the video shared in a report published by Indian news outlet Mumbai TV on July 3, 2025 (archived link).

The injured person was identified as an auto rickshaw driver who was attacked by his friend over a personal dispute.

Media organisation Times of India reported the Wadala Truck Terminal police arrested the accused on charges of attempted murder (archived link).

AFP reached out to an official at the Wadala Truck Terminal police station who confirmed the incident took place in Mumbai in July 2025.

"The incident took place in Wadala East in July 2025 when a man attacked another person with a sharp weapon. The police arrested the accused and registered a case of attempted murder, along with other relevant charges," Sub-Inspector Arjun Hajare told AFP on June 9.

AFP has previously debunked misinformation swirling around Bangladesh politics.